President Reinstates Suspended IPS Officer Koan, MHA Transfers Him To Andaman

Dr A Koan, a 2009-batch IPS officer, who was suspended for allegedly misbehaving with a woman tourist at a Goa beach club in 2023, has been reinstated and transferred from Goa to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the MHA.

New Delhi: In a significant development, Dr A Koan, a 2009-batch IPS officer from AGMUT cadre (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories), who was suspended for allegedly misbehaving with a woman tourist at a Goa beach club last year, has been reinstated and transferred to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Sources said that Dr Koan was reinstated by President Droupadi Murmu after which the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) transferred him to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Home Ministry issued two separate orders on Thursday. One of the orders mentions “The President, after considering the facts and current circumstances of the case, has concluded that continuation of the suspension of Dr A Koan, IPS (AGMUT: 2009) is no longer in the public interest and, therefore, his suspension may be revoked."

It mentioned that the President exercised the powers conferred under Rule 3 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, and revoked the suspension of Koan with “immediate effect” and “reinstated” him in service.

The second order issued by under secretary in the MHA Rakesh Kumar Singh further stated, “With the approval of the Competent Authority, Koan is “transferred from Goa and posted to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with immediate effect and until further orders.”

Officials, however, said that the inquiry against the IPS officer is going on. Koan was suspended by President Murmu on August 16, 2023, following a report by the Goa Police to the MHA, accusing him of misbehaving with a woman tourist at a beach club in North Goa while intoxicated.

Following the incident, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated in the Assembly that strict action would be taken against Koan and that such behaviour would not be tolerated. The MHA in an order dated August 16, 2023, placed Koan under suspension as disciplinary proceedings were contemplated against him, in terms of Rule 3 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.