Mamata reinstates top cop Rajiv Kumar who was removed by EC

Kolkata: Within two days of coming to power for the second consecutive time, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra and reinstated IPS officer Rajiv Kumar to the city top cop's post.

A notification about the change of guard in the Kolkata Police was issued from Nabanna, the state secretariat, on Saturday evening after the tenure of Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct for the Assembly Elections in the state ended.

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On April 12, Mitra was appointed as the city police commissioner directly by the Election Commission during the Assembly polls after it removed Kumar following complaints of bias by the Opposition parties over the botched sting attempt by two special branch cops on BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha at state BJP headquarters.

Mitra, an additional director general (ADG) rank IPS officer of 1988 batch of the West Bengal cadre, however earned Banerjee's ire for acting tough during the Assembly polls in Kolkata where peace prevailed while voting in two rounds.

In his next assignment he has been shunted to a post considered of lesser importance: ADG (Training). On the other hand Kumar, also an ADG rank IPS officer of 1989 batch of the West Bengal cadre, who was posted as the chief of anti corruption branch of the state government since his removal, is expected to assume the charge soon.

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Significantly, Mitra and Kumar were seen at Banerjee's residence at Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat on May 19 after the announcement of the election results.

According to sources, two senior bureaucrats of the state government were against the removal of Mitra who is known for his warm and sympathetic approach towards the force. But the Trinamul chief did not pay heed to their plea, sources revealed.