EC shunts 5 IPS officers, Guj Govt fights to retain DCP Crime

The Election Commission transferred five IPS officers in Gujarat ahead of State Assembly Elections on Monday with immediate effect bringing a complete revamp in the Detection of Crime Branch (Ahmedabad) that has been alleged to have been taping phones of Congressmen illegally. The State Government is however fighting to retain the DCP Crime Himanshu Shukla.

The EC instructed the State Home Department to transfer JCP Crime Arun Sharma, DCP Crime Himanshu Shukla, Jamnagar SP Harikrishna Patel, Patan SP MS Bharada and DCP Surat ND Solanki. Shukla is the investigating officer of the SC appointed Special investigation Team 2002 Godhra riots.

Principal Secretary (Home) SK Nanda said, "The EC has transferred five IPS officers. We had sent them a list of postings for these officers and after a discussion with them, the postings were allotted".

Replacing Sharma, Vikas Sahay who was serving a non executive but plum posting as Principal in Raksha Shakti University is the new chief of the DCB. Sahay had last served an executive posting in Ahmedabad Traffic Police three years back.

Sahay was recently in controversy when two boys ans six girls were arrested from his house for hosting a late night liquor party at his rented apartment in Ahmedabad.

MS Bharada who was Patan SP has been posted as DCP Crime in Crime Branch replacing Shukla. Sarah Rizvi who was DCP Rajkot has become SP Patan replacing Bharada.

Both Sharma and Shukla were accused of taping mobile phones of Congress leaders illegally and keeping track of their movements.

The sources said the Congress in a memorandum to the EC had complained that Sharma and Shukla were taping mobile phones of leaders of the Congress party and were also tracking their movements. The Congressmen also alleged that both the officers who are believed to be close to the Chief Minister Narendra Modi were 'going out of their way to please the CM and his ministers'.

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