The Telangana police succeeded in ensuring a peaceful conduct of the 2023 Assembly elections, but some of its officers were in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Three police officers, including one in the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP), were suspended on charges of trying to help the BRS candidate in Hyderabad’s Musheerabad during the seizure of cash allegedly meant for influencing voters, a day before polling.
Initially, the police registered a case without specifically naming anyone. An inquiry, however, indicated that the police officers concerned tried to shield the ruling party candidate. Hyderabad Commissioner of Police Sandeep Shandilya sent a report to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and suspended them.
Earlier, on October 12, three IPS officers and 10 SP were transferred by the ECI following inputs that they were reportedly acting with partisan attitude. Among the transferred officers was the then Hyderabad Commissioner of Police C.V. Anand, an officer in the rank of Director-General of Police (DGP).
Before the election, Mr. Anand’s name was reportedly being considered by the State government for appointment as DGP. Though two more IPS officers — commissioners of Warangal and Nizamabad V. Ranganath and V. Satyanarayana respectively — were transferred, the transfer of Mr. Anand came as a jolt to the officials’ circle.
Never in the history of Telangana was a police officer of such a high rank transferred during the election process. Even as a debate was under way as to what prompted the election body to crack whip on them, the ECI transferred the then Karimnagar Police Commissioner Subbarayudu on October 27. Karimnagar Collector, too, was transferred.
When Mr. Anand was transferred, the ECI had reportedly directed the State government not to assign them any election-related duty. There were discussions in protest against the transfers, but only in hushed voices. Apparently, none dared to question the ECI’s authority.
The biggest jolt came on the day of counting of votes on Sunday. Even as the election results were being announced, DGP Anjani Kumar and Additional DGP Sanjay Kumar Jain, both clad in khaki uniform, and CID chief Mahesh Bhagwat, in civilian clothes, walked into TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy’s house at Jubilee Hills around noon.
Mr. Anjani Kumar and Mr. Jain handed over flower bouquets to Mr. Revanth, who was being labelled as the chief ministerial candidate of the Congress, which bagged over half of Telangana Assembly seats.
The top police officials meeting the politician even before the official completion of the results announcement raised many an eyebrow. Moreover, the model code of conduct (MCC) was in force till 5 p.m. on Sunday. Construing this as a violation of the MCC, the ECI wrote to the State government to initiate action against the DGP.
The Chief Secretary has received the communication to this effect from the ECI. A disciplinary action was being initiated against the DGP when reports last came in.
