Despite having faced an embarrassment earlier in police transfers and promotions, the Maharashtra government seems to have learnt little as it on Thursday again faced with humiliation of staying the transfers through promotion of five IPS officials within 12 hours of announcement.
While the State government maintained silence on the reasons, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reiterated the allegations of scam in the transfers. According to sources, within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Thane district guardian Minister and Urban Development Department (UDD) Minister Eknath Shinde was unhappy for not being consulted on the five transfers.
On Thursday, the State Home Department stayed the promotion of five IPS officials — Rajendra Mane as Addl. Commissioner of Police, Thane city from DCP, State intelligence, Mumbai; Mahesh Patil as Addl. Commissioner of Police, (Traffic), Mumbai from DCP, Mira Road–Bhayander, Vasai–Virar police commissionerate; Sanjay Jadhav as Addl. Commissioner of Police (Admin), Thane city from SP, Highway Patrol, Pune; Panjabrao Ugale as Addl. Commissioner of Police, Local Arms, Mumbai from SP, Anti–Corruption Bureau, Thane and Dattatraya Shinde as Addl. Commissioner of Police, Law & Order, Mumbai from SP, Palghar.
Sources said the five postings were from the areas of influence of Mr. Shinde who is a powerful Shiv Sena Minister from Thane and Palghar areas and he was not even consulted before taking the final decision. When contacted his office, Home Minister Dilip Walse–Patil did not react to the development.
Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reminded of an alleged transfer scam in the time of former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh which is being probed by the CBI.
The government on Thursday night announced a rejig of IPS officials in Mumbai and Maharashtra. Among this, the major ones were Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Mumbai, who has been transferred as IGP, Law & Order, Maharashtra. He will be replaced by special IG Suhas Warke, who was holding the post.
Pimpri–Chinchwad Commissioner Krishna Prakash was transferred as IG, VIP security, Maharashtra, and will be replaced by Ankush Shinde, IG, Prison. Deepak Pandey, Nasik Commissioner, is transferred to the department of prevention of atrocities on women.
