Sanjay Mukherjee, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) becomes the third DGP of West Bengal in a span of two day.
On Monday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) removed Rajeev Kumar, another 1989-batch IPS, who is a close confidante of Mamata Banerjee. According to sources, Kumar was removed from the post to provide a fair playing field for all parties in West Bengal.
The poll panel had earlier also removed Rajeev Kumar from active election management-related duties twice before — during the 2016 assembly polls and the 2019 general elections.
This time Kumar was on Monday shifted to the Information and Technology department, an assignment not related to the elections.
Subsequently on Monday itself the government appointed IPS officer Vivek Sahay, a 1988-batch IPS as the next DGP. However, Sahay was replaced with Sanjay Mukherjee after the Election Commission of India approved of his name.
In a letter to the chief secretary of West Bengal, the poll body wrote: “The Commission has approved the name of Sanjay Mukherjee, IPS, for the post of Director General of Police, West Bengal. Kindly ensure immediate compliance and confirm the same latest by 5 pm today (Tuesday).
Why Vivek Sahay was replaced with Sanjay Mukherjee within few hours?
According to sources, Sahay's appointment was based on his seniority, but since he is scheduled to superannuate in the final week of May before the Lok Sabha elections conclude, the poll panel named Sanjay Mukherjee as the DGP.
According to another senior official, Sahay has not been removed for the first time by the ECI.
In March 2021, the ECI had suspended Sahay, then serving as director of security, following an incident in which chief minister Mamata Banerjee had suffered a leg injury in Nandigram while campaigning for the assembly election in the state.
The decision to suspend Sahay was based on reports submitted by the then chief secretary of West Bengal.
Banerjee received injuries on her left foot in Nandigram on March 11, 2021, while greeting her supporters standing on the footboard of her vehicle when her foot got caught between the front door and the seat of the car because of pressure from the crowd.
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
