This Article is From May 26, 2016

Several Police Officers Transferred Before Bengal Polls Reinstated

Several Police Officers Transferred Before Bengal Polls Reinstated

Bharati Ghosh who had been shifted in January as officer on special duty is believed to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (File Photo)

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has undone what the Election Commission did ahead of the assembly polls in the state. It has reinstated many of the 68 officers the poll panel had transferred to ensure free and fair polls.

Among the top IPS officers reinstated is Bharati Ghosh as Superintendent of Police of West Midnapore district. Believed to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Ms Ghosh had been shifted in January as officer on special duty, Left-wing extremism (operations) - a post created for her, sources say, to pre-empt a transfer by the Election Commission. Her office was at Nabanna, the state secretariat which also houses the chief minister's office.

However, that did not help. End March, the Election Commission ordered her transfer. She was moved as special superintendent, Criminal Investigation Department. Then, just before the last poll day, May 5, the Election Commission ordered her not to leave Kolkata till polls closed.

Another significant reinstatement is of Prasun Banerjee as Superintendent of Police, Malda district. Mr Banerjee, whose role in the violence at Kaliachak in January had come under scrutiny, had been transferred by the Election Commission and moved to Siliguri as special superintendent, CID. He is now Superintendent of Police, Malda again.

Arnab Ghosh, who was transferred from his post of Superintendent of Police, South Dinajpur district, is back, as is Kunal Aggarwal, Superintendent of Police, Burdwan district.

Four senior officers have been put on compulsory waiting, that is, not given a posting. They are Dhrubajyoti De, Deputy Commissioner, Eastern Subarban Division, Kolkata Police, Rashid Munir Khan, Superintendent of Police, South Dinajpur, Santosh Pandey, Deputy Commissioner, South Subarban Division which includes the Jadavpur and Sumanjit Ray, Deputy Commissioner, South East Division Kolkata.

Several IAS officers have also been reinstated. 
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