Tarun Gauba is a 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre who has held senior leadership roles in state policing and Central agencies, including a notable stint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Over two decades his career has combined field policing, special investigations and crowd-management assignments for high-profile events.
Early life and entry into the IPS
Tarun Gauba was born on 19 November 1976 and is a 2001-batch IPS officer allocated to the Uttar Pradesh cadre. Official police records list his cadre details and service number, establishing his formal entry into the Indian Police Service in 2001. (UP Police)
Gauba’s early training would have included the standard professional attachments and district postings that IPS officers undertake after the Academy phase, placing them in charge of law-and-order, crime prevention and local administration duties before moving to higher responsibilities.
Career trajectory — major postings and responsibilities
Over his career, Gauba has alternated between state policing roles in Uttar Pradesh and deputation to central investigating agencies.
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Uttar Pradesh Police: Gauba has held several senior positions in the UP police, including roles at the Inspector General (IG) level. In recent administrative reshuffles he has been appointed to key commands such as IG Lucknow Range and IG (Security), positions that combine operational leadership with responsibility for law-and-order and VIP/security arrangements. Reports in 2025 note his appointment to IG Lucknow Range and concurrent responsibility for security duties. (The Times of India)
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Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Gauba served on deputation with the CBI and rose to a leadership role there — a period in which he led or supervised several high-profile investigations. His CBI tenure brought him national attention because he supervised probes that attracted media and political scrutiny. (hhh.umn.edu)
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Event & crowd management assignments: Gauba has been entrusted with policing and security during major public events. For example, his role as Commissioner of Police in Prayagraj (Allahabad) during Kumbh-related operations put him at the centre of large-scale crowd management and civic coordination, responsibilities reported during multiple reshuffles. (Zee News)
Throughout his career, Gauba’s responsibilities have spanned criminal investigation, security planning for mass gatherings, internal administration of police ranges, and coordination with civil authorities — typical of senior IPS officers in large states.
High-profile investigations and the 2019 CBI episode
One of the most widely reported episodes in Gauba’s recent past relates to his time in the CBI. In 2019 Gauba was the DIG who supervised the CBI investigation into allegations involving a senior CBI official (the Rakesh Asthana matter). The story received national attention: Gauba was repatriated to his state cadre in July 2019 reportedly at his request to pursue further academic opportunities, though the episode was widely covered as part of internal reshuffles and controversies around the probe. Media outlets documented his removal from the CBI team that was probing the matter and the broader churn within the agency at that time. (www.ndtv.com)
That episode placed Gauba in the public spotlight because it intersected with debates about agency independence, officer transfers and politically sensitive investigations — a common dynamic when senior officers investigate other senior officials.
Transfers, recent postings and administrative significance
Tarun Gauba’s career shows several transfers typical of senior IPS service: postings to command-level roles in the UP police and temporary deputations to central agencies. In 2024–2025 he figured in administrative reshuffles that assigned him to high-visibility responsibilities such as Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj (during the Kumbh) and IG Lucknow Range. Coverage of the 2025 transfers recorded that he would hold IG Security while retaining the charge of Lucknow Range in an additional capacity — a sign that the state administration entrusted him with both range leadership and broader security oversight. (Elets eGov)
These postings reflect two practical patterns in state policing: (1) senior officers are rotated between operational and security roles to match evolving priority needs (mass gatherings, elections, VIP security), and (2) additional charges are frequently assigned to manage interim gaps or transitional leadership.
Public-facing initiatives and operational highlights
In his public role, Gauba has been visible during humanitarian and operational stories — for example, recognizing frontline constables and managing citizen-oriented policing tasks during large events like the Kumbh. Local media reported instances of Gauba felicitating officers who showed compassion and efficiency during crowd control and rescue situations — illustrative of the operational leadership often highlighted in local press. (The Times of India)
As an IG/Commissioner he would have overseen modernization measures, coordination with district administration and implementation of policing technology and protocols (typical responsibilities attached to those posts), though specific programmatic initiatives attributed directly to him in public sources are less extensively covered than his transfers and investigative roles.
Controversies and public scrutiny
The dominant controversy associated with Gauba in mainstream reporting remains the 2019 episode when he was taken off the CBI team probing a high-profile case and subsequently repatriated. Because that investigation involved accusations and counter-accusations at senior levels, his removal and the circumstances around it created substantial media attention and debate about possible political interference, internal agency pressures, and the consequences of transfers for sensitive probes. Major national outlets and investigative publications covered the matter in depth. (www.ndtv.com)
Outside of that episode, there are no widely reported personal controversies (criminal allegations or disciplinary showstoppers) in the public domain beyond routine scrutiny of decisions that senior police officials face. Most subsequent coverage emphasizes administrative responsibilities and event policing rather than personal scandals.
Public image and media portrayal
Media portrayals of Gauba have been mixed but largely factual: coverage has focused on (a) his role as a CBI officer during sensitive investigations, (b) his leadership assignments in UP including Kumbh policing and Lucknow Range command, and (c) the administrative reshuffles that periodically reposition senior IPS officers. Profiles in regional outlets around Prayagraj and Lucknow presented him as an experienced investigator and event-management leader, while national outlets covered the CBI episode with greater analytical attention. (Zee News)
Top interesting facts
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2001 IPS batch: Tarun Gauba is a 2001-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre (official cadre records). (UP Police)
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CBI deputation: He served on deputation with the Central Bureau of Investigation and supervised sensitive probes that attracted national media attention. (hhh.umn.edu)
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High-visibility event policing: He has been posted to head policing during major events (for example, Prayagraj Kumbh duties), which require large-scale crowd and security management. (Zee News)
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Repatriation episode (2019): In July 2019 he was repatriated from the CBI to his state cadre amid coverage related to the Rakesh Asthana probe. Media reported the repatriation as being “on his request,” while also extensively debating the context. (www.ndtv.com)
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Leadership in Lucknow Range (2025): Recent administrative orders (2025) show him in charge of the Lucknow Range and given security responsibilities, indicating continued trust in his command abilities. (The Times of India)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What batch is Tarun Gauba and which cadre?
A: He is a 2001-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. (UP Police)
Q2: Has Tarun Gauba worked with the CBI?
A: Yes — he served on deputation with the Central Bureau of Investigation and supervised important investigations during his tenure there. (hhh.umn.edu)
Q3: Was there a controversy around his CBI posting?
A: Media reported that Gauba was repatriated from the CBI in July 2019 amid the Rakesh Asthana probe. Reports said the repatriation was at his request, though the episode generated wide discussion on probe independence and transfers. (www.ndtv.com)
Q4: What is his current/most recent posting?
A: Recent reports (2025) show him appointed IG Lucknow Range with additional charge of security (IG Security), reflecting senior leadership roles in UP policing. (The Times of India)
Q5: Is Tarun Gauba associated with any criminal allegations?
A: Public reporting does not list any criminal charges against him. The primary public scrutiny arises from the administrative and investigatory context of his CBI posting, not from personal criminal allegations. (www.ndtv.com)
Sources & further reading
This profile draws on official UP Police cadre listings and multiple national and regional news reports that covered Gauba’s CBI tenure, transfers, and event policing responsibilities. Key sources include the Uttar Pradesh Police officer profile and reporting by national outlets on the 2019 CBI episode and subsequent UP transfers.

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