PANAJI
In another ironic turn that has come full circle for the Goa Police’s long-running promotion controversy, PSI Anand Narvekar “ the officer whose court challenge triggered the demotion of six officiating Police Inspectors (PIs) facing criminal cases “ has now himself been promoted to the very same rank on an officiating basis.
The order dated May 8, issued by the Office of the Director General of Police, promoted Narvekar, attached to GRP ‘D’ Company, as PI with immediate effect, under conditions similar to those imposed on the six officers whose promotions he had challenged before the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
The order said the Police Establishment Board (PEB) had reconsidered Narvekar’s case in light of the High Court judgment dated July 14, 2025, and a government communication issued on April 17 this year.
“...On recommendation of the PEB, PSI Anand Narvekar of GRP ‘D’ Coy is hereby promoted to the post of Police Inspector on officiating basis...,” the order further stated, while making it clear that the promotion would not confer any right to regular promotion and would remain subject to prescribed conditions.
The development is the latest chapter in a promotion saga that exposed contradictions within the police department’s own approach towards officers facing criminal proceedings.
Narvekar had moved the High Court after alleging discrimination, claiming he alone was denied promotion because of a pending criminal case, while six other PSIs facing similar proceedings were elevated as officiating or ad-hoc PIs.
During the hearings, the High Court had sharply observed that granting promotions to police personnel during the pendency of criminal cases was “not an approach to be appreciated” in a disciplined force like the police department.
In its July 2025 judgment, the court directed the police to open the sealed cover relating to Narvekar’s case and stated that if he was otherwise found suitable, he should be considered for officiating promotion on par with the other PSIs who had been promoted despite pending criminal cases.
Months later, in January 2026, the Goa police reverted the six officiating PIs to their substantive rank of PSI pending complete exoneration or acquittal in the criminal cases against them.
But the rollback did not last long. After the six PIs submitted representations to the government, the State last month restored them to the rank of officiating PIs, effectively undoing the earlier demotion order.
Now, within about a fortnight of that reversal, Narvekar too has been brought into the same arrangement “ promoted as officiating PI “until further orders”, with the department reserving the right to cancel the promotion at any time and revert him to his original post.
