Former Mumbai top cop Sanjay Pandey joins Congress

MUMBAI: Controversial former Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey on Thursday joined the Congress in the presence of Mumbai Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad and former minister Aslam Shaikh.
“I joined the Congress as I believe in Congress ideology. In fact, since 2004, I have been associated with Congress and now I feel I am back in the secular family.My entry into Congress is unconditional,” he said.
An IPS officer of the 1986 batch, Pandey was Mumbai police commissioner and retired in June 2022. He was arrested by the ED and then by the CBI in an illegal phone tapping case immediately after his retirement. It was alleged that he was working in connivance with officials of the National Stock Exchange. Later he was released on bail following orders of Supreme Court.
Referring to the cases against him, Pandey said, “In my prolonged career, I have seen good and bad days; all the cases were false.” He said his advice to people would be not to fear and work for the cause of the people honestly. “Since I have joined the Congress, I am extending my full support to the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. We must work relentlessly for protecting democratic and statutory institutions. The 140-year-old Congress party has a glorious history and secular credentials,” he said.
Prior to his appointment as CP, Pandey was director general of police. During his tenure, the Mumbai police had booked leading BJP politicians, including Mohit Kamboj and Narayan Rane. For long, speculation was rife that he would join a political party. Though he has not announced it, it is likely he will contest assembly elections from Versova.
Gaikwad said Pandey, an “honest and efficient police officer,” was the “victim of the high-handed NDA govt led by PM Modi.” She alleged, “He was implicated in false cases and sent to jail.”