Bhubaneswar: The Home Department has asked the Director General of Police (DGP) in Odisha to furnish information regarding the leave availed by IPS officer Ashish Kumar Singh.

Singh had availed leave for a month on health grounds from May 4. However, the Home Department is yet to receive any communication regarding whether Singh has resumed duty or his leave period has been extended, said the department in a letter to the DGP today.

“In the meantime more than one month has passed but the department is yet to receive any communication on this matter. It is, therefore, requested to kindly furnish above information to this department for further necessary action,” said Muralidhar Mallik, OSD-cum-Additional Secretary to Home Department, in a letter to the DGP.

On June 9, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had recommended action against Singh for misrepresenting facts about his health.

The ECI recommendation came following a health check-up of Singh by a six-member panel of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

The ECI had written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha to forward the report of the AIIMS-Bhubaneswar panel to the Chief Secretary for necessary action against the IPS officer.

On April 2, the ECI had directed the state government to shift Singh from the post of IG, Central Range, to a non-election related posting. Subsequently, Singh was transferred and posted as IG, Chief Minister’s security.

Singh, later, took leave for a month on health grounds. The ECI had directed Singh to undergo health check-up at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar after receiving a complaint from the BJP that the IPS officer was still working in favour of the BJD in polls.

The health check-up by the AIIMS-Bhubaneswar panel had found Singh mentally and physically fit.

It is worth mentioning here that the Odisha Police, in a press note, mentioned that Singh had participated in a Rath Jatra preparatory meeting on security arrangements yesterday (June 26).