LUCKNOW: Barely 45 days into the job as superintendent of police, Rampur, Santosh Mishra was shunted out of the politically-sensitive district, also the pocket borough of SP leader
Azam Khan.
Shagun Gautam
has been put at the helm after the Sunday morning churning in IPS cadre by the Yogi government.
Insiders told TOI Mishra’s transfer was not routine. He was moved out because he failed to file a chargesheet in at least 47 FIRs against Azam during his six-week tenure. Mishra’s appointment in January followed a corruption complaint against his predecessor,
Ajay Pal Sharma
, by then Noida SSP Vaibhav Krishna, that stirred controversy in IPS circles. An out-of-favour Mishra has been made SP, Police Headquarters, Prayagraj. Just a day before Sharma was transferred out of Rampur, the belligerent cop publicly announced on a loudspeaker in Ganj police station area, asking Azam Khan to appear in court. But the tables were turned when Santosh Mishra took over reins. He slammed brakes on any action against Azam, citing protocol in case of a serving MP and did not review pending cases.
“Two members of a family who had gone to lodge a case against the SP leader were also reprimanded and shown the door by senior police officers in Rampur,” said
Faisal Lala
, a social activist in Rampur.
Soon after 2019 Lok Sabha poll, the government shifted then SP Rampur Shiv Hari Meena and appointed Ajay Pal Sharma, who had 190 encounters to his credit. Sharma lodged 65 FIRs against Azam and family in just four months, taking the tally to 88 by the time he moved out. Rampur police said a chargesheet in 41 cases were lodged, but 47 cases were still pending.