Who's shunted West Bengal top cop Rajeev Kumar, considered 'close' to CM Mamata?

Who’s shunted West Bengal top cop Rajeev Kumar, considered ‘close’ to CM Mamata?

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday ordered the immediate removal of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar and six state chief secretaries as part of measures to ensure a level playing field ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The EC shunted out West Bengal’s top cop amid apprehension of poll violence and other law and order challenges, which had lately been witnessed in the state. The move comes on the heels of the poll body’s announcement of Lok Sabha election dates.

This is the third time that Kumar, perceived to be close to the dispensation led by Mamata Banerjee, has been dropped from election-related duties.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal, Rajeev Kumar was removed from the post of additional director general, CID and attached to the home ministry. However, he was reinstated soon after Mamata Banerjee’s return to office. Even in the 2016 assembly polls, Kumar, then Kolkata police commissioner, was removed by EC on grounds of alleged bias.

Kumar, incidentally, was questioned by the CBI in the Saradha scam case in 2019. He had initially resisted the CBI summonses, with Banerjee holding a 70-hour dharna against CBI’s move to question him.

In the 2021 assembly polls in Bengal, then DGP Virendra was moved out by EC, based on “adverse reports” from the observers.

Rajeev Kumar is a 1989 batch IPS officer with an engineering degree from IIT Roorkee.

He held key positions such as Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Joint Commissioner (Special Task Force), and Director General (CID), among others.

Under his leadership, the STF of Kolkata Police gained notoriety for its operations against Maoist leaders and criminals.

Renowned for his prowess as an investigator and a formidable information network, he played a crucial role in apprehending Chattaradhar Mahato, a significant figure in the Lalgarh movement.

Additionally, he oversaw the STF’s pivotal contributions in undermining the Maoist movement from 2009 to 2011. Elections for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal will be held over seven phases, beginning on April 19.

Meanwhile, the EC has asked chief secretary BP Gopalika to post Rajeev Kumar to a “non-election” related assignment and post an officer immediately junior to him as DGP, as an interim arrangement.

(With agencies input)

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