Suspense over transfer of top cop as incoming SSP 'refuses' to join

BAREILLY: The fate of district's new police chief hanged in balance as the newly-appointed senior superintendent of police (SSP) Akash Kulhari refused to take charge on Tuesday. The UP government had carried out a massive reshuffle on Monday by transferring as many as 31 IPS officers. Bareilly's SSP Jogendra Kumar was moved to Moradabad as superintendent of police (SP) police academy.
While senior IPS officer Kulhari, who has served as city SP in 2013, was appointed as SSP of the district. However, Kulhari has refused to take charge without citing any reason.
Speculations are rife that Kulkahari was not willing to return on the same post. To add to this, sources close to TOI revealed that during his tenure as SSP in Bareilly, he had soured his terms with many BJP leaders including the ones who are current MLA and cabinet ministers in the Yogi government. “This could probably be the strongest catalyst to his transfer put on hold. There are a couple of senior BJP leaders hailing from the region who have considerable clout in the government. It would have been difficult for them to work with Kulhari again,” a highly placed source in the police department told TOI.
TOI tried getting in touch with IPS Kulhari but he was not available for his comments.
Meanwhile, DGP office has confirmed the development that Kulhari, a 2006 batch IPS officer, would not be taking charge as SSP Bareilly. “The reasons are unknown and is privy to seniors at top brass. No replacement has yet been announced,” an official at DGP office in Lucknow told TOI.