Election Commission replaces 4 top West Bengal cops including Kolkata Police commissioner Anuj Sharma 

Anuj Sharma.

New Delhi: The Election Commission directed transfer of Kolkata Police commissioner Anuj Sharma along with three Indian Police Service officers in Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha election. The poll panel said the officers cannot participate in any election-related duties.

Anuj Sharma, a 1991 batch IPS officer who was appointed to the post of Kolkata police chief only a few months ago, is being replaced by Dr Rajesh Kumar, who is currently posted as ADG, of West Bengal Pollution Control Board.

The EC also sought transfer of the commissioner of Bidhannagar City Police, Gyanwant Singh, and police superintendents of two districts Birbhum and Diamond Harbour.

A letter by EC to West Bengal’s chief secretary said, “The present incumbent officers being shifted not to be involved by the state government in any election-related duty.”

The development comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party raised allegations against a section of police offices of the state, stating that they were trying to favour West Bengal’s ruling party – Trinamool Congress.

Dilip Ghosh, the state BJP chief, said, “May be there were objections from political parties against some police officers. Some of them were at Mamata Banerjee’s dharna manch and another went to the airport and argued with customs officials over so-called harassment of the wife Mrs Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee.”

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