Pimpri-Chinchwad: ‘Deeply hurt,’ transferred top cop to approach CM, deputy CM

“I am deeply hurt by the sudden decision to transfer me…The government has not given any reason. Therefore, I have decided to approach the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister and find the reason behind my transfer,” Krishna Prakash said on his return from the US where he learnt about his ouster.

Prakash was transferred to Mumbai as the special inspector general of police (VIP security) on Wednesday. In his place, Ankush Shinde has been appointed as the fourth police commissioner of Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The outgoing police chief said he was brought to Pimpri-Chinchwad by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. “I wanted a posting in Mumbai. But it was the Deputy Chief Minister who said he wanted an officer like me in Pimpri-Chinchwad and brought me here…And now, I learn from The Indian Express report that it is the Deputy Chief Minister who apparently acted on some complaints against me,” he said.

Prakash said if some of his actions did not go down well with the government or the Deputy Chief Minister, then he should have been told so that he could have taken corrective actions. “There should have been a dialogue over this…He should have at least discussed the issue with me and told me where I was going wrong. I would have taken appropriate corrective action…,” he said.

According to sources in the state Home Ministry, Pawar was not happy with the kind of ‘theatrics’ Prakash resorted to. In one case, he and one of his women colleagues disguised as a Muslim couple and made surprise visits during night hours at police stations. Photos of a heavily bandaged police chief were put on social media by the police department, which also did not go down well with Pawar, highly placed sources said.

Prakash said he held the charge of inspector general of police (VIP security) for over three years. “Now they are asking me to take over the same post,” he said.

Prakash took over as Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner in September 2020. He is credited with bringing down the crime rate during his tenure.

While the BJP has reacted strongly to his transfer, NCP and Shiv Sena said it was a routine decision. Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne said, “His transfer does not mean that he was not up to the mark. The state government must have taken the decision as a part of its reshuffle move.”

BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad president Mahesh Landge said, “If Krishna Prakash was allowed to stay for some more time, all goons would have disappeared from the industrial city…No body knows why the government singled him out.”
Pimpri-Chinchwad NCP chief Ajit Gavahane said, “Krishna Prakash had done well so far. I am also not aware of the reason behind his transfer. I will talk to the Deputy Chief Minister about this.”

Former mayor and NCP leader Mangala Kadam said, “I will speak to the Deputy Chief Minister to find what forced him to transfer the police chief suddenly.”