Two days after taking over charge, Mumbai top cop Sanjay Pandey clears transfer of around 120 officers

Pandey took charge as Mumbai police commissioner on Monday and two days after he relieved 50 police inspectors and around 70 assistant police inspectors on Wednesday and Thursday

Mumbai: The Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey has released around 120 police officers who were transferred by Pandey when he was acting director general of police but then Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale did not relieve the officers from Mumbai claiming the less manpower in the city.

When Pandey was acting DGP of Maharashtra had issued orders of transfers of police sub inspectors, assistant inspector and police inspectors on December 17 following on the request by officers. (ANI)

Pandey took charge as Mumbai police commissioner on Monday and two days after he relieved 50 police inspectors and around 70 assistant police inspectors on Wednesday and Thursday.

The joint commissioner of police (Admin) Rajkumar Vhatkar confirmed the development.

When Pandey was acting DGP of Maharashtra had issued orders of transfers of police sub inspectors, assistant inspector and police inspectors on December 17 following on the request by officers. A senior officer said, as per the order, a total 187 police sub inspectors, 86 assistant inspectors and 50 inspectors were transferred from Mumbai. Some of the officers approached the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT).

The transfer order was passed by the police establishment board but then the Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale had not signed on it saying there was not a single substitute given to Mumbai police against the transfers of those officials from Mumbai. Nagrale also claimed that due to the pandemic in the city he could not relieve officers in bulk as the city required manpower and releasing them could have led to a crunch. Nagrale also said then that his concern was not taken for transfers. In February, MAT told the authority to discuss the issues together and resolve it.

In Maharashtra, the Mumbai commissioner directly reports to the government while the rest of the additional director generals and inspector general reports to the DGP.