Mumbai: The director general of police (DGP) has finally relented to the Election Commission of India’s order and transferred 111 inspectors out of Mumbai. With assembly elections due in November, the ECI had on July 31 instructed the government and the police to transfer all those officials who are posted in their home districts and those who have been in the same place for three or more years.
About The Rules
According to rules, prior to elections, officers who have served more than three years in an area have to be moved out. The Maharashtra Police issued an order on Friday directing the 111 inspectors to be transferred out of the city. Controversial Santacruz Inspector Rajendra Kane and Crime Inspector Amar Patil are among those transferred. Kane has been sent to Ratnagiri, and Patil to Nagpur.
Initially, the Maharashtra Police did not follow through on the ECI order. However, the ECI sent a notice to the police, demanding clarification for non-compliance and requesting a formal report. The chief secretary and the DGP were supposed to submit action-taken reports by August 20 but failed to do so. Afterward, the ECI sent three reminders regarding the pending report. The Maharashtra Police informed the ECI that, aside from Mumbai, other regions in the state had complied with the transfer orders. Subsequently, the Mumbai Police requested the ECI again, seeking an exemption for these officers. Eventually, with assembly elections approaching, the DGP transferred 111 inspectors out of the city and assigned 11 new inspectors to Mumbai.
Kane and Patil had faced a departmental inquiry after a junior officer filed a complaint against them with the deputy commissioner of police. The junior officer accused Kane of preventing the filing of an FIR in an extortion case. The Free Press Journal first reported the case, highlighting allegations made by both an activist and the junior officer.
Social activist Aftab Siddique posted on X: “The Election Commission of India rejected the home ministry of Maharashtra’s reply regarding the transfer of Mumbai police officers before the 2024 assembly elections. On October 4, I received a reply from the Maharashtra Election Commission office, confirming that the officers were transferred.” “Satyamev Jaytey corruption and connivance out of Mumbai,” she said.
Siddique had frequently approached senior officers regarding the Santacruz extortion case, demanding the transfer of both Kane and Patil.
