Bhubaneswar, May 24: In Government departments and establishments, a formal transfer order signed by the competent authority is mandatory before an employee can assume charge at a new place of posting. However, an entirely different system appears to have been functioning within the Odisha Police administration. Here, a mere phone call or verbal instruction is allegedly enough to shift armed sepoys from battalions to police headquarters and other establishments, where many are engaged in “file-carrying” and clerical duties instead of active field responsibilities.

According to reports, more than 500 Armed Sepoys and Constables from different battalions have been engaged in police establishments, including the State Police headquarters without any formal transfer order.

This startling reality within the State Police setup has now come under the spotlight following revelations that nearly several such transfers were carried out without official orders, raising serious questions over administrative transparency, misuse of manpower, and violation of established service norms.

Such a controversial and unusual transfer practice within the State’s Armed Police Force (SAPF) has come under scrutiny after reports emerged that sepoys from various battalions were being shifted to Police Headquarters and other police establishments without any formal written orders.

No official instructions were issued either by the Director General of Police (DGP) or by the Special Armed Police Chief for such transfers. However, over the years, several constables were allegedly moved out of battalions on the basis of phone calls and verbal directions.

The issue gained attention after a report published in the Odia daily The Prameya highlighted that sepoys were being assigned clerical and file-carrying duties at different police establishments instead of regular battalion responsibilities. Following the publication of the report, an internal inquiry was initiated into the functioning of the transfer system.

The investigation reportedly brought to light several irregularities and exposed what officials described as a “strange and informal transfer mechanism” operating within the khaki force.

Maximum sepoys are brought from the Odisha Special Armed Police, 6th Battalion, Cuttack. Though, a record is being maintained on the deployment of sepoys from 6th IRB Battalion, Khurda; 3rd Reserve Batalion, Jajpur and other battalions, but no such formal procedure has been maintained for the sepoys of Sixth Battalion, Cuttack.

Following the publication of the report in The Prameya, process to repatriate the sepoys to their original place of postings have begun. In the first phase, directive has been issued to send 16 sepoys engaged at the State Police headquarters back to their respective battalions.

Meanwhile, Director General of Police has issued a strong direction to repatriate the sepoys engaged in file-carrying and clerical jobs to their battalions by May 31. Accordingly, ADG, (Headquarters), ADG (Modernistation) ADG (Law & Order), IG & DIG (Personnel) and DIG (Provisioning) has been directed to comply with the order before the deadline.