4 Delhi DCPs transferred, top cop's fate uncertain

Sources said home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde could give Neeraj Kumar the marching orders, but a section within the government feels that Kumar - who is due to retire in July-end - should be allowed to continue for the next three months. HT reports.East Delhi DCP shifted | Delhi cops transferred for dereliction of duty

The government will decide on the removal of Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar over the next few days.

Sources said home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde could give Kumar the marching orders, but a section within the government feels that Kumar - who is due to retire in July-end - should be allowed to continue for the next three months.

The spotlight is yet again on Kumar even as four deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) were shifted on Monday.

The four include DCP South Chhaya Sharma and DCP East Prabhakar, under whose jurisdiction the December gang rape and the rape of the six-year-old this month had taken place.

Kumar has survived demands for his transfer since the December 16 gang rape.

But a home ministry probe report into the heckling of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Jat protesters ransacking Shinde's house may force the home minister's hand.

"So far, no decision has been taken," Shinde said after a meeting with Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who has been critical of the police leadership.

Kumar, however, said, "I have received no such indication."

Shinde on Monday also met Delhi Police special commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi, who is a key contender for the hot seat.

The Delhi Police insisted that the transfer of the four DCPs was part of a "routine" exercise.

Government sources, however, suggested they were linked to the home ministry view that it could not be business as usual.

Prabhakar, a 2003-batch IPS officer, who was DCP East, was transferred to look after the prime minister's security.

He has been replaced by Ajay Kumar, a 2001 batch IPS officer who was handling the PM's security.

Sharma, a 1999-batch IPS officer who was DCP South, was sent to Mizoram after an eventful stint that saw the police constantly under fire for its handling of incidents such as the December gang rape and the shootout in which BSP MLA Deepak Bharadwaj was killed.