In a significant administrative shift, the Election Commission has appointed Sanjay Verma as Maharashtra’s new Director General of Police (DGP), following the removal of Rashmi Shukla. Verma, currently serving as the Director General (legal and technical) for the state, will officially assume his role once the government formalizes the appointment with an official order.
Verma, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the 1990 batch, succeeds Shukla, who faced removal after multiple complaints and allegations regarding her conduct while in office. Initially, the state government opted to place Shukla on leave instead of outright removal. Her tenure has been marred by controversies, particularly concerning three FIRs linked to the unauthorized telephone tapping of politicians, raising serious concerns over police integrity and accountability.
The decision to appoint Verma comes amid sustained pressure from opposition parties, including the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar. Following a law and order review, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik submitted a panel of three IPS officers to the Election Commission, which included Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, Sanjay Verma, and Ritesh Kumar. Ultimately, the Election Commission chose Verma to take the helm of the state’s police force.
The backdrop of Shukla’s removal is rife with allegations of misconduct. State Congress chief Nana Patole recently accused her of ordering further telephone tapping, a charge that compounds the scrutiny she faced during her previous role as commissioner of the State Intelligence Department. Critics of Shukla have called for accountability, highlighting that her conduct has drawn significant backlash from political leaders and citizens alike.
Concerns over politically motivated crimes in Maharashtra have prompted a reaction from Election Commission Chief Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. During a recent review, Kumar emphasized the need for stringent measures to combat crimes that threaten the electoral integrity and undermine a level playing field in the state. His directive for Shukla to implement tougher policies reflects a broader effort to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
This intervention by the Election Commission is not unprecedented. In 2009, then-DGP A N Roy was also asked to step aside during the election period due to controversies, with IPS officer S Chakravarthi appointed as DGP for the duration. Such actions highlight the Election Commission’s proactive stance in maintaining the integrity of law enforcement during critical electoral times.
As Sanjay Verma prepares to lead the Maharashtra police, all eyes will be on his approach to navigating the challenges that lie ahead, particularly in restoring public trust in a department currently embroiled in controversy.
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