BJP urges ECI to keep Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar out of Lok Sabha polls

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Bengal on Monday complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) that former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar being given fresh charge of a department contravenes EC directives that prohibit officers who have served in a post for three continuous years as on May 31, from being involved in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Since 53-year-old Kumar took over as Kolkata’s police chief on May 21, 2016, the TMC government last month transferred him the post of additional director-general of West Bengal police (CID).

The BJP claims this isn’t really a transfer because on March 1, Kumar, who is perceived to be close to the CM Mamata Banerjee, was entrusted with two additional charges including that of the Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF).

Kumar is under a cloud for his alleged role in a chit fund scam which he investigated in 2013-14 and over which he faced interrogation by the CBI last month.

Congress, too, has decided to appeal along the same lines. “...will seek his removal from poll-related duties,” said state unit president Somen Mitra.

First Published: Mar 04, 2019 23:13 IST