New Delhi: After reviewing poll preparedness, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday ordered the removal of West Bengal’s Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar and home secretaries of six states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
“Rajeev Kumar, IPS, Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal, be shifted to a non-election related post with immediate effect. The charge of Rajeev Kumar be given to the next senior officer in the Police Headquarters till posting of new Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal,” the order said.
Vivek Sahay, a 1988-batch IPS officer, replaced Kumar as DGP of West Bengal.
The poll panel had asked the state’s chief secretary to provide a list of three eligible officers as Kumar’s replacement by 5 pm.
According to reports, the decisions were part of the ECI’s efforts to ensure free and fair polls while maintaining the integrity of the electoral process across various states during the Parliamentary elections beginning April 19.
The top cop is considered close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In 2019, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accused Kumar of suppressing and destroying evidence in the investigation of Saradha scam while leading a SIT set up by the state government to probe the matter. Following the CBI’s accusation and its search of Kumar’s house in February 2019 over the accusation in the Saradha scam, Mamata Banerjee sat on a two-day dharna. She called off the demonstration after the Supreme Court granted him protection from arrest by the central agency.
Nuapada: At least 80 people were arrested during a massive crackdown on illegal gambling activities…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has transferred Special Secretary, Planning and Convergence, Chitra Arumugam and posted…
Sambhal: A violent clash erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Sunday after a group opposed…
Mumbai: Television actress Hina Khan, who is battling breast cancer, recently met host Salman Khan…
Mumbai: Following reports of his alleged link-up with bassist Mohini Dey, renowned music composer AR…
Mumbai: The love story of actors Tamannaah Bhatia and Vijay Varma has not been clandestine.…
Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has received the report of the Ratna Bhandar’s GPR-GPS…
With his debut novel ‘The Other Side of the Rainbow’ published recently, Niranjan Nayak, an…