Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey, who had shot to the limelight amid the Sushant Singh Rajput investigation, took voluntary retirement from service on Tuesday, triggering speculations that he will take a political plunge. NDTV reported, quoting sources, that Pandey is likely to contest as the NDA candidate from Buxar district—the same region he had tried and failed to get a ticket in 2009. Then, Pandey had taken premature retirement to contest the Lok Sabha elections, but reports claimed that the state government did not accept his VRS application and reinstated him in the service.
Pandey's request seeking voluntary retirement has been approved by Governor Phagu Chauhan, a notification issued by the state home department said. Director General (Homeguards) S.K. Singhal has been given additional charge of DGP, PTI reported.
The 1987 batch IPS officer led the investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death in Mumbai. He hogged the headlines for numerous controversial statements. After the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into the death of the actor, Pandey had said: “Bihar ke mukhyamantri pe comment karne ki aukaat Rhea Chakraborty ki nahi hai (Rhea Chakraborty does not have the stature to comment on Bihar chief minister)".
He was at the forefront of the political battle between Bihar and Maharashtra in the case, warning Mumbai municipal authorities of legal action if an IPS officer, who had gone to Mumbai to probe actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case, was not released from "forcible quarantine" by the end of the day. He accused the BMC of keeping IPS officer Vinay Tiwari in virtual house arrest, despite being informed about the adverse remarks made by Supreme Court against their action.
Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut had taken at Pandey over the statements. Raut said that the Bihar DGP giving interview to a channel against Maharashtra was "violation of police discipline". "Pandey wanted to contest the assembly elections from Buxar in 2009, but his plan was aborted after the BJP candidate from there threatened to contest against him as an independent. It is laughable that Pandey should question the professionalism of Mumbai Police. It is being said Pandey can now fight the Bihar polls from Shahpur seat," Raut had then written in mouthpiece Saamana.
