Top Gujarat cops, collectors transferred

EC, which takes the decision post its team's tour, says these officers will not be posted to any poll duty.

Cracking the whip against senior police officials said to be close to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Election Commission on Monday ordered transfer of state police chief PC Pande and seven other senior officials ahead of assembly elections in December.

The EC directed that none of them would be posted to any election-related post or work.

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Pande was Ahmedabad Police Commissioner during the 2002 post-Gohdra riots in the state and had come under cloud over communal violence.

The 1970-batch IPS was shifted out of the state some months later on deputation to the Centre where he served with the CBI. However, Modi brought him back two years ago as the DGP.

The EC sought from the state government a panel of three "suitable officers" by Tuesday evening to choose the new DGP.

Besides Pande, the EC also ordered transfer of Ahmedabad Police Commissioner J Mahapatra, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) IM Desai, Superintendent of Police (Patan) JN Rajgor, SP (Rajkot) ND Solanki and SP (Tapi) SK Gadhavi.

Collector of Valsad DH Brahmbhatt and Collector of Gandhinagar Sonal Mishra were also transferred.