Controversial Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was transferred from his post on Tuesday and given the charge of the Criminal Investigation Department of West Bengal police.
Kumar would be replaced by Anuj Sharma, who is presently the Additional Director General (law and order).
Kumar has been been made the ADG (CID). His transfer comes days after his 40 hour interrogation by the CBI in connection with the Saradha scam case in Shillong. On February 3, Kumar made nation-wide headlines after the Kolkata police prevented a CBI team that went to question him at his official residence in Kolkata. The CBI alleged that it was under instruction of Kumar that the Kolkata police heckled the agency officials and put them under detention.
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The showdown between the CBI and Kolkata police had further escalated after the anti-rowdy squad rushed to the house of Joint Director of CBI (East), Pankaj Srivastava, and tried to arrest him. Later, under the instruction of Union home ministry, the CRPF landed on the streets of Kolkata and protected the joint director along with offices of the central government including that of the CBI.
The Mamata Banerjee government said Kumar was transferred as per a directive of the election commission which had issued instructions to transfer all the officers posted in their position for three years or more.
Last time, during the 2016 assembly elections, Kumar was ousted as commissioner of police due to objections from opposition parties. However, he was reinstated after the elections. His three years tenure would have ended in May.
Kumar's successor also have his own share of controversy. Anuj Sharma, a 1991 batch officer, is among the five IPS officers of West Bengal against whom the Union home ministry has recommended punitive measures following the alleged break of rule book for IPS. The allegation against them was that they participated in the political programmes of the ruling party of West Bengal.
So, it will be doubtful whether Sharma would take part in the election process by the election commission of India.
The Trinamool Congress-led government has made a slew of transfers by shifting 14 IPS officers. She changed the chief of Intelligence branch, director of directorate of economic offence, ADG of South Bengal, commissioner of Howrah police commissionerate and head of correctional services.
