EC removes Rajeev Kumar from CP’s post, Soumen Mitra replaces him

Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was on Tuesday removed from his post by the Election Commission following complaints against him by major opposition political parties in poll-bound West Bengal.

“The Kolkata Police Commissioner is removed from his post. ADG (CID) Soumen Mitra will replace him,” an EC source said. EC sources had earlier said that the issue was under its consideration amid demands by opposition parties in the state for removal of Kumar. Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena had said a decision of the issue would be conveyed to the media by the Commission “at an appropriate time.” 

The poll panel on Tuesday wrote to West Bengal Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, asking him to act on this issue.

The ADG (CID) Soumen Mitra has been asked to take over as the new Commissioner of Police in Kolkata Police, EC sources said.

The BJP and Congress had recently moved the EC seeking removal of Kumar  accusing him of “snooping” on opposition leaders, bureaucrats and journalists.

The BJP had complained to the EC after an alleged failed sting operation against the party’s national secretary and former state president Rahul Sinha late last month. Two Kolkata Police personnel had allegedly tried to bribe Sinha in return for help to smuggle out cows to Bangladesh.

Kumar, a B- Tech from College of Engineering Roorkee, became the commissioner of the city police on January 29 after Surajit Kar Purakayastha.

 Rumour mills were abuzz on March 30 that Kumar was removed from the post of commissioner of police after being directed by the election commission. Interestingly, the next day he was found overseeing the rescue work when a portion of the Vivekananda Flyover had collapsed.