OP Galhotra is new chief of Rajasthan police

The Rajasthan government Thursday appointed 1985-batch IPS officer Om Prakash Galhotra as the new director general of police, superseding four officers who are senior to him. Galhotra took charge form Ajit Singh who retired on Thursday.

Born on October 15, 1959, Galhotra is a native of Haryana. He will occupy the post until October 2019.

Galhotra’s appointment superseded one director general of police (DGP) and three ADG-level officers. DG (Home Guards) Navdeep Singh of 1981 batch is the senior most IPS officer in the state. KK Sharma (BSF DG) and Kapil Garg are from 1982 batch, and Sudhir Pratap Singh is from the 1983 batch.

Galhotra’s first posting in Rajasthan was as assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Kota. He was SP of Dholpur, Chittorgarh, Jodhpur and Bharatpur.

He’s had two stints at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). From 1996 to 2000, he was SP, CBI, and from May 2008 to November 2015, he was the joint director at the central agency.

He won the Police Medal in 2001 and President Police Medal in 2009.

Galhotra was the front runner in the race for the new DGP because he is believed to be Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s favourite. He was inspector general of police of Jaipur Range from 2004 to 2007 in her previous regime.

The police officer held the charge of ADG of armed battalions until Thursday. He was promoted to the rank of DG and then appointed the head of police force.In another order issued on Thursday, the state government promoted Kapil Garg and Sunil Kumar Mehrotra to the rank of director general of police. Garg will be DG of state crime records bureau (SCRB) and Mehrotra, DG (Telecommunications and Technical). The two were in the same departments as ADG.

His batchmate Dr Sunil Kumar Mehrotra has also been promoted to the rank of DG. Order for his posting will be issued.

Galhotra took over charge from the outgoing DGP in the evening before the ceremonial farewell ceremony for Singh.