KATHMANDU, March 3: With the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Basanta Bahadur Kunwar set to retire from his position after 15 days (March 18), the race for the 31st IGP, open between three eligible Additional Inspectors General (AIGs), has intensified. Of the three candidates, one is heavily tipped to replace Kunwar this month.
Additional Inspectors General of Police Deepak Thapa, Sudip Giri and Tek Bahadur Tamang are the contenders for the coveted post of police chief. Thapa is the head of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Giri is the Executive Director of the National Police Academy and Tamang heads the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari. It is AIG Thapa who has emerged as the top contender for the post of IGP, owing to his ranking by merit and his political connections.
IGP Kunwar, who was promoted to the top-most position in the police organization on March 24, 2023 by the government led by CPN (Maoist Center) on merit-based priority merely four days after his promotion to the post of AIG, is set to retire this month after reaching the 30-year service limit.
IGP Kunwar entered the police service as an inspector on March 19, 1995. He was promoted to AIG along with Tek Prasad Rai, Deepak Thapa, Shyama Lal Gyawali and Kiran Bajracharya on March 20, 2023. Rai will also be retiring along with Kunwar this month while Gyawali and Bajracharya have already retired. Similarly, AIGs Buddhiraj Gurung, Durga Singh, Kuber Kadayat and proposed AIG Janak Bhattarai will all be retiring together with IGP Kunwar.
The series of AIG retirements taking place concurrent with IGP Kunwar’s retirement leaves AIG Thapa, Giri and Tamang as the sole three candidates for the promotion to the post of IGP. Thapa, who joined the police force on September 4, 1995 has an advantage over his two rivals as he was promoted to AIG 18 days before Giri and Tamang, who were promoted to AIG on April 7, 2024. The prior promotion has made AIG Thapa the dark horse for the promotion to IGP. Giri ranks second followed by Tamang for merit-based promotion.
Political inclinations
Among the three candidates, AIG Thapa, a local from Bhaktapur, has the most pronounced political backing, as he is known to have maintained good relations with high-level political leadership in his career spanning 29 years. According to high level police officers, AIG Thapa is also favored by IGP Kunwar as the next IGP. Police insiders claim that his chances of becoming the next IGP is strengthened more by his political connections than his number one ranking in the merit list.
Similarly, AIG Giri, the son of former Chief Justice (CJ) Kedar Giri, is considered to be close to the Nepali Congress (NC). Former CJ Giri was appointed CJ by former NC president Girija Prasad Koirala-led government on October 5, 2007, with backing of the leaders from NC, NC (Democratic) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). Sources at the Home Ministry claim that NC leaders Purna Bahadur Khadka and Bal Krishna Khand are lobbying to make him the next IGP.
The last contender, AIG Tamang, is the son-in-law of former DIG Devi Lal Tamang, who is said to have connections with leaders of his home polity Jhapa. AIG Tamang is believed to be lobbying for his promotion among Jhapa-based leaders including Prime Minister KP Oli. Sources say that Tamang is also capitalizing his close ties with CIAA chief Prem Kumar Rai in his attempt to bring PM Oli to his corner.
Track records
Dark horse Thapa is considered a veteran of on-field command and a favorite for multiple political parties having worked closely with a plethora of political leaders in the past. He headed the police stations in Banepa and Garuda as an inspector and was stationed at the Area Police Office, Maikot, during the civil war. As a deputy superintendent, he was the chief of the District Police Office, Khotang, for two years and went on to lead the Police Circle, Maharajgunj and worked as the Prime Minister's personal security officer. As a superintendent, he led the DPO, Chitwan, similar to IGP Kunwar.
As a senior superintendent, Thapa worked in the Personnel Administration Branch and the Economic Administration Branch of the Police Headquarters, going on to lead the Metropolitan Police Crime Department. After his promotion to Deputy Inspector General (DIG), he led the Management Directorate and the Bagmati Province Police Office. As an AIG, he led the Administration Department, the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari, and went to be appointed at the current posting at the helm of the CIB.
AIG Giri received commando training from the police and led the Kalimati Police Circle as a deputy superintendent. After being promoted to superintendent, he led the DPOs of Parsa and Kailali. As a senior superintendent, he led the District Police Range, Kathmandu. After being promoted to DIG, he led the Koshi Province Police Office. After becoming an AIG, he has been working as the Executive Director of Nepal Police Training Academy.
The third candidate, AIG Tamang, led the teams at Gajuri, Sanepa and Lainchaur as an inspector. As deputy inspector, he commanded the DPOs of Arghakhanchi and Khotang and the Police Circle, Kalimati.
After his promotion to superintendent, he commanded the DPO, Banke. As a DIG, he worked in the Police Division of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. As an AIG he firstly led the Criminal Investigation Department before his transfer to the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari, as its chief.