Pachnanda is new Kolkata police chief

However,Chakrabarti,who is believed to be close to the ruling party,will remain as an officer on compulsory waiting.

Samar Gosh,state Chief Secretary,today told the reporters,“R K Pachnanda will act as the Commissioner of Police,while Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti will be on compulsory waiting.”

Currently,several ADG posts including the ADG (Armed police) and ADG (Rail),which is an important post in the West Bengal Police,are lying vacant. Moreover,according to a source in the state Home Department,in the order for Chakrabarti,it has been mentioned that he will report to the state Home Secretary. However,according to rules,all IPS officers in Bengal Police are required to report to the Director General of Police as they are under the Police Directorate and not under the state Home department,said a senior police official.

The EC on Thursday selected R K Pachnanda,an IPS officer of 1984 batch,from a list of three IPS officers and referred his name to the West Bengal government.

According to sources,the EC instructed the state government to remove the present CP before elections since the commission received reports about his proximity towards the ruling party.

“The rule of transferring the police officers who have served at one police station or at one department for three years is not applicable to the officers of ADG rank. However,now we all are working under the Election Commission. And it can do everything it wants to make the election process fair. In Chakrabarti’s case,the EC received some reports about his proximity to the ruling party,” they said.

After taking over the charge,Pachnanda said,“My first assignment as the Commissioner of Police is to see The elections are free and fair.”