Bihar's 'Robinhood Pandey' hogs media limelight drops hint he could join politics

    Patna/Mumbai, Sep 23 (PTI) Gupteshwar Pandey, the
tough-talking IPS officer who stepped down as Bihar police
chief late Tuesday night, hogged media limelight a day after
and dropped hints about joining politics, asserting he is a
"free man" now and that contesting elections is not illegal.
    The voluble former top cop of the state was chased and
courted by national television through the day but what they
succeeded in wangling out of him fow now was that he is still
not a political person, but being a "free man" now, he could
join politics if people want him to do so.
    "I am now a free citizen of India like you. I am no
longer the DGP. So, no service rules apply to me anymore.
Thousands of people are coming from Buxar, Begusarai,
Jehanabad, Aurangabad and other districts. I will take a
decision after talking to them. Contesting elections is not
illegal," he told journalists.
    TV channels showed the 1987 batch IPS officer, who
always sports a 'shikha', a knotted lock of hair at the back
of his head symbolic of his brahmin caste, tending to plants
in his field and performing yoga at the portico of his
official residence.
    The assertive officer is often called 'Robinhood
Pandey' by his band of supporters.
    Pandey, who had come in for criticism from politicians
in Maharashtra for strongly pleading for a CBI probe into
actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, however, said he was
"exasperated" at suggestions that he did so because of his
political ambitions.
    "I have spent more than three decades in (police)
service and nobody can raise a finger at my professional
integrity. But, in the recent past, thousands of calls and
messages seeking to know when I am entering politics, which
party I am planning to join.....left me exasperated," Pandey
said.
    When journalists persisted with questions about
whether he has plans to join politics, he said,"I have neither
joined any political party nor I am a political person till
now. When I join (a party), I will tell all of you before I
do.
    "Politics is not the only way of serving society. One
can work for society in different ways even without joining
politics."
    Pandey, a daring IPS officer known for his rustic
mannerisms, had sought voluntary retirement in 2009 amid
speculation that he wanted to contest the Lok Sabha election
from Buxar. It was rumoured that the BJP wanted to field him
from the seat which has substantial Brahmin votes.
    The saffron party changed its mind and did not field
Pandey.
    In a rare concession by a state government for an IPS
officer who had voluntarily quit service, the ruling
dispensation in Bihar sat over his resignation for nine months
and then reinstated him.
    The officer, at whose suggestion, the Bihar government
had recommended a CBI probe into the death of Patna-born actor
Sushant Singh Rajput in Mumbai, rubbished suggestions that his
outspokenness in the case was in anyway linked to his
political ambitions.
    The officer had virtually waged an all-out war with
Maharashtra politicians on national television in support of a
CBI investigation in Rajput's death case, asserting that it
alone could do "justice" to the deceased actor.
    In line of Shiv Sena fire, Pandey, who has a fan
following among a section of the youth in Bihar, was
unflappable, and declared he will do everything to get the
actor justice.
    The VRS request of Pandey, who would have retired in
February 2021, was accepted by Governor Phagu Chauhan on
Tuesday, the day he tendered his resignation.
    "The Bihar DGP who was used for this defamation is
being blatantly rewarded. His voluntary retirement says it
all," said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant
in Mumbai, reacting to reports that Pandey could take the
political plunge.
    While a government officer has to give three months'
notice before resigning, Pandey's resignation was accepted
immediately, he said.
    Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, with whom Pandey
had locked horns over the issue of a CBI probe in Rajput's
death case, also claimed the former Bihar DGP was being
"rewarded" for speaking against Mumbai and Maharashtra.
    Pandey, who had said actress Rhea Chakraborth had no
'aukaat' (stature) to comment on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar's decision to recommend a CBI probe in the case,
defended his statement.
     "Someone who is an accused in the case and named in
an FIR for hatching a conspiracy to kill Sushant Singh Rajput
has no right to make any comment against a person who is
occupying a constitutional post," Pandey said.
    Bihar's ruling JD(U) preferred silence on Pandey
seeking voluntary retirement or his political ambition, ally
BJP said everyone has the right to lead a social and political
life in a democratic set up.
    "Gupteshwar Pandey jee had joined the service on his
own sweet will and has now opted for VRS. There is no scope
left for a political party to make any suggestion about what
he should do. He has every right to choose a political party
or ideology he wants to pursue," state BJP spokesman Nikhil
Anand said.
PTI AR SNS MR SK
SK SK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)