West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on March 18 welcomed the removal of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar by the Election Commission of India (ECI), saying that Kumar’s removal was inevitable due to his compromised position and inability to conduct a fair election.
Sukanta Majumdar also claimed that Mamata Banerjee has many such ‘Rajeev Kumars’ throughout West Bengal on her payroll.
“Rajeev Kumar was supposed to be removed. He is the same Rajeev Kumar against whom the CBI registered an FIR and had gone to arrest him when he was a Commissioner of Police (CP) and had disappeared. Mamata Banerjee had protested against his arrest, so such a person is more like a cadre of the party (TMC) than a DGP. In 2014, he was also removed from the position of CP because the commission felt that he was compromised and could not conduct a fair election. But not just one Rajeev Kumar, Mamata Banerjee has kept many small Rajeev Kumars on her payroll throughout West Bengal,” he said.
Ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, the ECI on March 18 issued orders for the removal of West Bengal’s Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Chahal, along with some other senior officials from various states.
The DGP had been in the spotlight after the BJP and other Opposition parties criticised the Bengal police for alleged inaction in giving justice to the victims of Sandeshkhali.
The Sandeshkhali area had been witnessing unrest after women protestors sought justice against alleged atrocities committed by Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides.
Meanwhile, the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Kolkata, Vivek Sahay, was appointed as the DGP of West Bengal on March 18, following the removal of the previous DGP, Rajeev Kumar, by the Election Commission.
“The Governor is pleased to appoint Shri Vivek Sahay, IPS, Director General and Commandant General, Home Guards, West Bengal, to the post of Director General and Inspector of Police, West Bengal, with immediate effect until further order. This appointment is made in the interest of public service,” the chief secretary of West Bengal wrote in a notice.
(with inputs from ANI)
