Senior IPS officer Harpreet Singh Sidhu is headed back to Punjab after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs cleared his premature repatriation from central deputation. The decision comes at a time when the leadership of Punjab Police is under close watch, and his return is already fuelling speculation about changes at the top.
In an order issued on September 22, the Ministry approved Sidhu’s request to leave his central assignment with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and return to his parent cadre. Sidhu, a 1992 batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, has been serving as Additional Director General (ADG) ITBP since 2022. The order directed that he be relieved immediately, under the provisions of Para 14.1 of the IPS Tenure Policy.
The repatriation order has gained traction because it comes barely days after the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the promotion of Praveen Kumar, IPS (WB:1993), to the post of Director General, ITBP. Kumar, a batch junior to Sidhu, was cleared for the top ITBP position earlier this month. Senior officers familiar with the matter say this development weighed heavily on Sidhu’s decision to seek a return, as he was effectively bypassed despite his seniority.
Sidhu has held significant assignments in Punjab over the years, including stints in counter-drug operations and special units, before moving to central deputation. His return is particularly significant for Punjab because of his past role as head of the Special Task Force (STF) set up to combat the state’s drug menace. Known for his tough stance and operational leadership, he built the STF into a specialised unit that carried out decisive crackdowns on trafficking networks. With drug abuse and organised crime continuing to pose major challenges in Punjab, his experience in leading that fight gives his repatriation added weight in the state’s law-and-order landscape.
His experience both in Punjab and at the national level has given him a profile that places him among the most senior police leaders of his cadre.
What His Return Means for Punjab
Punjab’s police leadership already includes DGP Gaurav Yadav, another 1992 batch officer. With Sidhu’s premature return, insiders say the state government could consider him for a major responsibility, and his presence may alter the balance among senior officers. Political observers believe that the Aam Aadmi Party government will weigh his experience while deciding upcoming appointments.
A Question of Timing
That Sidhu sought repatriation just as a junior officer secured the ITBP’s top job has sharpened attention on Punjab’s police hierarchy. His return is expected to intensify competition among officers of the 1992 and 1993 batches, particularly for leadership roles in the state.
For now, the Centre has left it to the ITBP to set his relieving date. Once he is back in Chandigarh, all eyes will be on the post he is assigned — and whether his return reconfigures Punjab’s police leadership at a politically sensitive time.