As polls near, Modi favourites get top police postings

AHMEDABAD: This was perhaps the first loud ring of the approaching assembly election in Gujarat later this year. The massive IPS transfer order issued on Saturday, apparently cleared by the state election commission (SEC), has many of the police officers known for their proximity to the establishment or with a taint on their uniforms, posted in key districts and offices.
The government not only posted its favourites in districts likely to see a keen political contest, but also top positions like secretary (home) and CID (intelligence), which will now be headed by P P Pandey.
Late Saturday, the Modi government transferred 41 IPS officers, 15 of them superintendents of police, a key field posting as far as elections are concerned. Sources pointed out that at least nine of these SPs are now shunted out merely nine months after their transfers. The election code of conduct mandates officers posted for more than three years in a single post to be shifted out.
Noteworthy among the senior officers transferred is additional DGP Sudhir Sinha, who was moved from state intelligence to Rajkot, a city where he will return as police commissioner for the third time. He was specially brought here as commissioner just before Modi underwent a 'poll test' to be elected from Rajkot immediately after becoming chief minister in October 2001. And Modi won the polls on a seat vacated by Vajubhai Vala, in a territory where he had weak links. Also, at present Rajkot is being used as the headquarters by BJP rebels for their political activities.
The high security post of DIG (border range), which fell vacant with D G Vanzara's arrest in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, will now go to an officer, I M Desai, who has been booked in a dowry harassment case in Ahmedabad. Desai was also promoted from SP to DIG.
Eyebrows have been raised about the SEC not touching two officers, Ashish Bhatia, chief of Ahmedabad crime branch and Manoj Agrawal, ACP (traffic), who have done more than four years. The government is learnt to have requested for their 'exemption'.
IGPs A I Saiyed and Rajan Priyadarshi are promoted as additional DGPs superseding seniors Amitabh Pathak, H P Singh, P C Thakur and K Kumaraswami. Pathak apparently had a bad annual confidential report, Singh faces a departmental inquiry and the other two have been embroiled in controversies.