Dharmendra Singh Chhawai, a 2012-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer presently serving as the superintendent of police (SP) in Kawardha district, has alleged that Chhattisgarh government has violated his constitutional rights by repeatedly denying him promotion.
Chhawai claimed that the government sidelined him despite seniority and a clean service record, citing selective justice and arbitrary decision-making.
In a letter to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhawai has rued that he was repeatedly overlooked for promotion, stating that despite his seniority and a clean service record, his name was excluded from promotion lists issued between October 2024 and July 2025.
However, the state government claimed that his promotion was denied because there has been a pending Lokayukta probe in Bhopal against him.
Protesting against the government's decision, Chhawai cited Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines dated January 15, 1999, which state that promotions cannot be withheld unless an officer is under suspension, has been served a charge-sheet, or is facing a criminal trial.
The officer has alleged selective justice, claiming that while his promotion has been stalled over a mere investigation, other officers facing more serious allegations, including cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, have been promoted.
“It is a clear violation of Article 16 of the Constitution,” the letter suggests, referring to the right to equal opportunity in public employment.
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