Maharashtra polls: ECI removes Rashmi Shukla as DGP over phone tapping charges

The Election Commission removed Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla amid phone tapping allegations from Congress and NCP, sparking political controversy

MUMBAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) removed the director general of police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla on Monday from her current post, acting on complaints from the Congress and NCP (SP) of phone tapping -- a controversy Shukla has courted in the past as well. Last week, ECI had sent a warning to Shukla following similar complaints from Shiv Sena (UBT).

Pune, India - June 23, 2017:Rashmi Shukla, Commissioner of Police, Pune City posses for photo at her office in Pune, India, on Friday, June 23, 2017. (Photo by Pratham Gokhale/ Hindustan Times) (Pratham Gokhale/HT PHOTO)

On ECI’s insistence, the chief secretary of Maharashtra, Sujata Saunik, suggested names of three IPS officers, one of who will take on the additional charge of DGP for the duration of the assembly elections to be held on November 20. They include senior IPS officers such as Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, DG (legal and technical) Sanjay Verma and home guard chief Ritesh Kumar.

A top IAS officer told HT that though ECI had asked for Shukla’s removal, the state had only sent her on leave.

Shukla did not respond to calls from this correspondent for a comment on the issue. Likewise, reserving comment on the DGP’s transfer, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, said: “While I do not wish to speak on the orders given by the ECI, I hope the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), who have prised the ECI, will not blame the poll body if the Mahayuti returns to power. The opposition had blamed ECI for their defeat in Haryana.”

Over the last five years, the 1988-batch officer has found herself in many political wrangles. When Fadnavis was the chief minister between 2014-19, Shukla served as the commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID), a sensitive position marked for those considered close to people in the corridors of power.

However, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) came to power in 2019 she was shunted along with many other top officers. She was moved from SID to civil defence, a non-executive posting. She was posted as the additional director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), followed by the head of Sashastra Seema Bal.

After Shukla exited the state, three FIRs from Pune and Mumbai were registered against her in 2022 by the state, based on allegations of phone tapping by opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and NCP’s Eknath Khadse. They said Shukla was purportedly egged on by the BJP.

Last week, state Congress chief Nana Patole and Sena (UBT)’s Raut levelled fresh allegations of phone tapping against her, while NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said “this was the first time that opposition had levelled accusations against a police officer”.

On Friday, HT had reported that during a review of law-and-order, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar expressed concern over “politically motivated crimes in Maharashtra and asked Shukla to ensure a strict clampdown against such crimes which vitiates the electoral atmosphere and disturbs the level playing field”.

After the ECI’s move on Monday, state Congress chief Nana Patole said, “We are thankful, but why did it take so long, when the DGP in Jharkhand was removed immediately.” He added. “Despite controversies like phone tapping of opposition leaders and criminal charges, Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde illegally extended her term for two years for their benefit.”

Responding to Patole’s claim, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar, said: “We are going to lodge a complaint with ECI against Nana Patole for his baseless allegations against Devendra Fadnavis. They have been levelled without substantial proof.”