Suspended IPS officer Basant Rath resigns; hints at joining electoral politics

Suspended IPS officer Basant Rath on Sunday announced his resignation from service on social media, hinting that he is joining politics to contest elections from Kashmir.

In his famous twitter handle KangriCarrier, which is unverified, as well as WhatsApp status and Instagram post, Rath who will be completing two years of his suspension next month, said politics is a noble profession.

Sharing his copy of resignation letter addressed to J&K Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta and marked to Director General of Police Dilbag Singh and Commandant General Home Guard H K Lohia, Rath said I wish to resign from the Indian Police Service in order to be able to participate in electoral politics.

”Please consider this letter as my request for resignation/voluntary retirement and process it accordingly , he said in his letter dated June 25. In an earlier post about seven hours ago, Rath wrote, "If I ever join a political party, it will be BJP. If I ever contest an election, it will be from Kashmir. If I ever join politics, it will be before March 6, 2024."

Repeated attempts to reach the officer did not fructify as he did not respond to the phone calls and messages. In July 2000, Rath was suspended with immediate effect by the central government in connection with repeated instances of gross misconduct and misbehavior.

An order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said, A disciplinary proceeding against Shri Basant Rath is contemplated in connection with repeated instances of gross misconduct and misbehaviour, which have been brought to the notice of the Government.

During the period of suspension, Rath’s headquarter shall be Jammu and he will not leave it without obtaining permission of the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The action against the officer came a fortnight after he lodged a complaint with police against Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbagh Singh citing ”apprehensions about my life, liberty and bald head.”

Promoted as IGP in 2018, Rath became popular among people for his effective regulation of traffic. However, his stint as IGP-Traffic was short-lived as many questioned his style of functioning.