Amitabh Thakur is a former Indian Police Officer. He belongs to the Uttar Pradesh cadre of the 1992 IPS batch. He also works as a social activist. Ten districts of Uttar Pradesh were served by Amitabh Thakur as the Superintendent of Police (SP). He was also designated in the Civil Defence department of Uttar Pradesh as the Inspector General (IG).
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Amitabh Thakur was born on Sunday, 16 June 1968 (age 53 years; as of 2021) in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. His zodiac sign is Gemini. Amitabh Thakur completed his school education at Kendriya Vidyalaya in 1985. In 1989, he earned a B. Tech degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Kanpur. In 2013, he was honoured with an FPM (PhD) Degree from IIM Lucknow. [1]Amitabh Thakur’s LinkedIn Profile
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5’4″
Hair Colour: Salt and Pepper
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Tapeshwar Narayan Thakur. His mother’s name is not known. His father-in-law K S Rajhans was a 1963 batch retired IFS officer.
Amitabh Thakur’s father-in-law
He has a brother named Avinash Kumar, and he is an IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre.
Avinash Kumar, brother of Amitabh Thakur
Wife & Children
Amitabh Thakur is married to Nutan Thakur who is a social activist, advocate, and author from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Amitabh Thakur with his wife Nutan Thakur
The couple has a son named Aditya, who is a lawyer, and a daughter named Tanya, and she is also a lawyer.
Amitabh Thakur with his wife and children
Address
5/426, Viram Khand, Gomati Nagar, Lucknow, LKO-226010.
Signature
Amitabh Thakur’s Signature
Career
An Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer
Amitabh Thakur started his career as an IPS officer in 1992. He was appointed at various departments including Intelligence, and Police Training Academy, Anti-Corruption, and Vigilance during his police service tenure. He was directly promoted from Superintendent of Police to Inspector General in 2015 due to various enquiries against him. On one occasion while interacting with media persons, he said about his so many transfers,
The numerous transfers in my career were meant to reduce an officer to a pawn. I had joined the IPS because I wanted to transform society. I don’t know how far I have succeeded. I tell my subordinates to be upright. But so many transfers make working difficult.”
Amitabh Thakur was given compulsory retirement on 23 March 2021 by the Union Home Ministry. The statement by the Ministry read,
He was not found fit to be retained for the remaining tenure of his service, who would have completed his service in 2028. In the public interest, Amitabh Thakur is being given premature retirement before completion of his service with immediate effect.”
On March 25, Amitabh tweeted a picture on his social media account when he was forcefully retired by the government. He wrote ‘Jabariya Retired’ (forcefully retired) officer on his nameplate and address outside his house in Lucknow.
Amitabh Thakur posing with his address
A Social Activist
Institute for Research and Documentation, IRDS which is a human rights organisation was established by Amitabh Thakur. [2]Manfest Varchasva In 2010, Amitabh started the National Right To Information Forum which is situated in Lucknow. It is regarded as the ground level Indian anti-corruption organisation. This National Right To Information Forum operates under the 2005 Right to Information Act and the government of India. [3]The Hindu In January 2011, Amitabh Thakur complained against a Facebook group that was posting offensive and hatred against Mahatma Gandhi. In one of its posts, it was written ‘I Hate Gandhi.’ Facebook, later, banned the group. [4]The Times of India
Literary works
A collection of poems and two books have been authored by Amitabh Thakur. He and his wife also planned to pen the struggles of Arvind Kejriwal in their book. [5]One India
Controversies
- In 2005, Amitabh was blamed for providing and supplying arms licences to local criminals. Consequently, as a superintendent of police (SP), he was suspended in 2005. Soon, Amitabh Thakur came forward to defend himself and stated that he was opening the files of the criminals and their related cases that were closed without justice by the earlier officers and district officials. [6]Hindustan Times
- In 2006, a shop jeweller was abducted by the local criminals in Uttar Pradesh, and the local residents protested against the Jasrana police in charge for not taking any action against the culprits. The protest pulled Amitabh Thakur to visit the protesters. On their demand, the then SP Amitabh Thakur transferred the local police in charge V K Trivedi to another police station. After the transfer, Ramvir Singh Yadav, a Samajwadi Party leader and the MLA, pressurised Amitabh Thakur to shift Trivedi back to Jasrana; however, Amitabh denied to accept the order. Later, after some days, Amitabh Thakur visited Ramvir Singh’s native village for looking after the security provisions for the visit of the state minister, and there Ramvir Singh threatened Amitabh Thakur and his peers. Amitabh left the village at that moment, and he tried to file a complaint against the MLA in the Eka police station that came on their way. The police in charge of Eka police station denied filing a complaint against Ramvir MLA. Later, MLA Ramvir was cleared of all allegations as the witness changed his verdict. [7]Hindustan Times In a conversation with the media house, Amitabh said,
Jasrana saw me becoming an activist as prior to that I was a normal police officer.”
- In April 2008, Amitabh Thakur wrote three letters for the study leave to the Principal Secretary (Home) of the state government and the Director-General of Police when he got enrolled in a four-year Programme in Management (FPM) at IIM Lucknow. He applied for study leave from April 2008 to March 2009, but he did not receive any answer for the same. In April 2009, he then applied again to the Lucknow Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal. Tribunal in its order directed the state government to take a decision on his study leave within two weeks. The state government did not answer the Tribunal orders, Amitabh then again moved to the high court against the state government. In the response to the high court order, the state government stated that Amitabh did not sell prior permission from his higher officials before applying to the PhD programme. However, he was granted study leave for a year by the government. Later, was given two years leave for study by the Tribunal. [8]Indian Express
- Amitabh and his wife Nutan Thakur are social activists who have filed more than 500 RTI cases and 150 PILs ( Public Interest Litigations). The court has rejected many of these applications and the rest of the appeals resulted in action. In 2011, Amitabh Takur filed a case of not maintaining public decency and morality against the Bollywood songs – Munni Badnaam Hui and Sheila Ki Jawani. In their complaint, they claimed that these songs disobeyed the rules of the Cinematography Act of 1952. They further added that these songs may increase the cases of eve-teasing. [9]Patrika The legal advisor of Thakurs was also fined two times Rs. 2 Lakhs for filing superficial complaints. In 2014, the Allahabad High Court declared Thakurs as,
Chronic petitioners” [10]Catch News
In the same year, the high court appealed to its registry department not to register any complaints by Thakurs. In this order, High Court also mentioned that Thakur had to seek prior permission from the state government before filing an appeal in the court. [11]Catch News They were also ordered to submit an amount of Rs. 25000 before filing any complaint in court. Further, if the complaints were found genuine by the court then only the deposited amount would be refunded to Thakurs. This decision was undertaken by the court to minimise the superficial complaints lodged by the Thakurs as the superficial complaints may waste the time and money of the court. The High Court order was upheld when Nutan appealed in the Supreme Court of India. [12]The Times of India
- Amitabh Thakur, along with Nutan Thakur, filed a complaint against the state’s mining minister, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati in December 2014. They filed a complaint at the Lok Ayukta (anti-corruption ombudsman). Illegal mining activities were the reason for complaining. After filing the complaint, Amitabh sought police protection from the Central government for his family. [13]India
- In January 2015, Amitabh was accused of rape charges when he was the IG in Civil defence in Uttar Pradesh. The victim claimed that Nutan Thakur who was a social activist lured her for a government job and asked her to visit her home for the same. The rape victim said that when she reached Nutan’s home at Gomati Nagar, she was raped. Amitabh and Nutan thakur claimed that the allegations were purely false and bogus, and they also affirmed that the rape charges were in response to Nutan’s complaint against the mining minister. They also added that the alleged rape victim had connections with a Samajwadi Party leader. [14]First Post Soon after the incident, Amitabh Thakur displayed a notice outside his home and office. The notice was,
The notice that put by Amitabh Thakur outside his office and home after a complaint was filed against him for rape
- Amitabh Thakur and his wife Nutan Thakur was criticised by an RTI activist for procuring large wealth and properties in their names in May 2015. The activist also demanded legal action against Amitabh and Nutan. The activist wrote a letter to the then governor of Uttar Pradesh,
Thakur and his wife had ten properties in their names in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. These properties included a High Income Group (HIG) house in Viramkhand in Gomti Nagar, a plot in Khargapur, a 5000 square feet plot in Ujriyon, a house in Mujaffarpur, a house in Patna, a house in Sitamarhi, and agricultural land in Bihar. according to the couple’s official records, they earned about ₹ 288,000 lakh annually through these properties.”
RTI activist, in his complaint, stated that Thakur had concealed eight of their properties and also manipulated the statements provided in the annual disclosure of properties. In response to the letter, the higher authority of Amitabh Thakur was appointed to look after the matter. On the other side, Amitabh and Nutan did not deny owning some of the properties and stated that it was their ancestral lands. However, he denied any concealing of the assets, and Amitabh claimed publicly that he was ready for any kind of CBI enquiry into the matter. [15]Catch News
- Amitabh Thakur released an audiotape in July 2015 in which he recorded the conversation of Uttar Pradesh former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav with him. Mulayam Singh Yadav was listened threatening him over the phone. The conversation was,
“You were very insolent…Everyone took you inside the school and wanted to beat you. I was the one who saved you.” (referring to the incident in which Thakur was manhandled by Jasrana MLA Ramveer Singh Yadav).”
“There could be more dire consequences, I am telling you. I went to Patna where your family members requested me to help and save you.”
“I am telling you, aap sudhar jaaiye (mend your ways). This is all I want to say.”
Amitabh Thakur further revealed that Mulayam Singh Yadav was not happy with Nutan’s complaint against the MLA and the mining minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, therefore Yadav was threatening him. [16]Indian Express
- In 2015, Amitabh Thakur professed that a statement against the state minister by a dying journalist named Jagrendra Singh was recorded by him. Amitabh added in his appeal that the state minister was involved in the death case of Jagrendra Singh. [17]Times of India
- In 2015, Amitabh Thakur sent a 1000 rupees cheque in favour of the former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on losing the Cricket World Cup. He also sent a note along with the cheque to him,
Thank you for losing the match.”
The cheque issued by Amitabh Thakur to Mahendra Singh Dhoni on losing the 2015 Cricket World Cup
- On 12 July 2015, the Uttar Pradesh police filed a charge sheet against Amitabh Thakur in the rape complaint that was filed against Amitabh in January 2015. He was suspended on 13 July 2015 by the state government on rape charges. The government stated in its statement,
Indiscipline, holding anti-government views, dereliction of duty and violating service rules.”
Amitabh Thakur was criticised by the government stating that he misused the government resources and also concealed information about his property. [18]NDTV
- The Union Home Ministry of India was appealed by Amitabh Thakur in 2016 for changing his cadre. In the response to the appeal, Home Ministry rejected his appeal in 2017. Amitabh claimed while appealing,
Harassment and threat to his life.”
- Amitabh Thakur blamed the former Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav for frightening him.
Facts/Trivia
- In 2015, when Mulayam Singh Yadav threatened Amitabh Thakur over the phone for the complaint against the MLA, Thakur sat on a strike appealing the government to take action against Yadav.
- Amitabh Thakur already declared in a statement that Vikas Dubey would be encountered when the gangster was captured by the Uttar Pradesh police in 2020. In a statement on his social media, Amitabh said,
The gangster would have an encounter.”
- Amitabh Thakur declared publically in August 2021 that he would contest elections against Uttar Pradesh Cheif Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2022. [19]NDTV In a media conference, Nutan Thakur expressed,
Sri Adityanath undertook many undemocratic, improper, suppressive, harassing and discriminatory steps during his tenure as Chief Minister. Hence, Amitabh shall be contesting the election against Sri Adityanath from any place he contests. It is a fight for principles for him, where he shall be presenting his protest to the wrongdoings.”
Amitabh explained in media conference regarding his entrance into politics,
Yes, I will definitely enter politics. Politics also need transparency and I will work to introduce the same.”
- According to Amitabh Thakur, the most challenging case he faced as an IPS officer was the recovering of a kidnapped child from the village of Mohammad Shahabuddin in Uttar Pradesh. He told,
Recovering a kidnapped child, from the village of Mohammad Shahabuddin, was one of the biggest challenges I faced during my job. At that time, I was SP Deoria.”
He further narrated that he provided his services as an IPS officer under several parties in UP like Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Bharatiya Janata Party but the unique way of working in Uttar Pradesh he found was,
Honestly speaking, as Chief Minister, I found Kalyan Singh’s way of working, the best.”
- In an interview, Amitabh Thakur revealed the dark side of an IPS officer in India. He spelt out,
Yes, there are many dark sides. I know, several IPS officers are misusing their powers to accumulate huge wealth.”
A screenshot of a statement by Amitabh Thakur
References
