Staff Correspondent | Agartala |Duranta TV
A major administrative controversy has erupted in Tripura following the resignation of Superintendent of Police (SP), Vigilance, Jeremiah Darlong. His resignation letter reportedly levels allegations of unethical conduct and workplace misconduct against the Director of the Vigilance Organization, retired IAS officer Anindya Kumar Bhattacharya.
According to the claims presented in the report, Bhattacharya, who has allegedly been reappointed seven consecutive times after retirement, is accused of attempting to secure support for actions described as unethical. Instead of complying, SP Jeremiah Darlong reportedly submitted his resignation, detailing the incidents that led to his decision.
Jeremiah Darlong, a 2010-batch Tripura Police Service (TPS) officer, submitted his resignation to the General Administration (GA) Department and also forwarded a copy to the Director General of Police (DGP). His unexpected decision has generated considerable discussion within the state police and administrative circles.
Police sources cited in the report claim that differences over the functioning of the Vigilance Directorate and Bhattacharya’s alleged behavior toward subordinates were among the primary reasons behind Darlong’s resignation. The report further alleges that accusations of corruption and unethical practices involving Bhattacharya have now surfaced officially through the resignation letter.
A resident of Betchhara in Kumarghat, North Tripura, Darlong joined the Tripura Police Service in 2010. He was recently promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police and transferred from North Tripura district to serve as SP of the Vigilance Organization. Despite receiving two ad hoc promotions during his 16-year career, his decision to resign has surprised many in administrative circles.
The report also states that Bhattacharya’s repeated post-retirement appointments have once again come under scrutiny. It claims that several media organizations, including Duranta TV, have published reports on the issue in recent weeks. It further alleges that a complaint has been lodged at R.K. Pur Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), accusing Bhattacharya of continuing to use the “IAS” designation after retirement.
The report also refers to Bhattacharya’s previous tenure as Director of the Fire and Emergency Services Department, where allegations were reportedly raised regarding financial irregularities in vehicle repair bills. It claims that repair expenses for large fire engines were allegedly shown through small vehicle garages, resulting in inflated bills worth lakhs of rupees. The report further alleges that due to age-related issues, Bhattacharya often failed to properly hear or understand subordinate officers and frequently behaved in an abusive manner toward them.
According to sources cited in the report, the Vigilance Organization recently received complaints against a former TCS officer, currently serving as an IAS officer, alleging illegal accumulation of wealth, including properties in Pune, a flat at Badharghat, and assets in South Tripura. Another complaint reportedly accused a former senior IAS officer of possessing 11 flats in Agartala along with other undisclosed assets.
The complaints were allegedly submitted by an individual identified as “A. Sarkar.” As per the report, such complaints are ordinarily referred by the General Administration (AR) Department to the Vigilance Organization for inquiry. It is alleged that when SP Jeremiah Darlong approached Director Bhattacharya to discuss the progress of the complaints, the Director became upset after seeing the names of the individuals mentioned.
The report further alleges that during subsequent discussions concerning these investigations and other administrative matters, Darlong was not given an adequate opportunity to present his views and was subjected to inappropriate treatment by the Director. According to the sources quoted, these incidents ultimately led him to resign.
Following the submission of his resignation, several senior officers of the Tripura Police reportedly contacted Darlong and requested him to reconsider his decision. According to the report, efforts are ongoing to persuade him to withdraw his resignation, and he may ultimately decide to do so.
The report concludes by stating that the incident has once again reignited debate over post-retirement appointments, the functioning of the Vigilance Organization, and administrative transparency in Tripura. It further claims that the resignation has strengthened earlier allegations that Bhattacharya allegedly compelled subordinate officers to carry out unethical work through verbal instructions and abusive behavior. These allegations remain claims made in the report and have not been independently verified or adjudicated.