Rakesh Maria’s transfer flouted norms: ex-CM Prithviraj Chavan

In a twist to the controversy over the removal of Mumbai top cop Rakesh Maria, former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said rules were violated in the “arbitrary” promotion of Maria as director general of police, home guards.

In a twist to the controversy over the removal of Mumbai top cop Rakesh Maria, former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said rules were violated in the “arbitrary” promotion of Maria as director general of police, home guards.

Praising Maria as a “very capable” officer with “very good records”, Chavan said he was transferred without following procedures under the Bombay Police Act. “The police establishment board has to meet, recommend some names to the government and then the state government has to pick an officer. In Maria’s case, none of the procedures were followed,” he told HT.

It was during Chavan’s time that Maria was appointed as the Mumbai police commissioner.

The former CM also pointed out that all senior posts in the police department come with a two-year fixed term. “Maria’s term was to end on September 30. But he was removed earlier,” Chavan pointed out.

Slamming the Devendra Fadnavis government for its “complete lackadaisical attitude”, the Congress leader, who earlier served as the minister of state in the prime minister’s office, said that the RSS is controlling the Maharashtra government.

“RSS people have been attached to ministers in different capacities. The Sangh is now a part of the administrative structure in Maharashtra,” he alleged.

Fadnavis also came under criticism for travelling to Japan when the state was battling a drought. “There is a grave crisis in cotton, milk and sugarcane industries. But it seems the government has no clue. They are trying to divert attention,” Chavan alleged.