CENTRE MAY STRIP WB COPS OF MEDALS

The Centre is likely to take punitive action against five senior police officers of West Bengal, including DGP Virendra Kumar, for taking part in the dharna of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, officials said.

This may include stripping off meritorious awards and removing the officers from the list of seniority.

A similar action is also expected against Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The Union home ministry has sought action against Rajeev Kumar for sitting at the dharna of Ms Banerjee. The Centre has taken a dim view of serving officers of uniformed forces allegedly taking part in sit-in protests.

New Delhi, Feb. 7: The Centre is likely to take punitive action against five senior police officers of West Bengal, including DGP Virendra Kumar, for taking part in the dharna of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, officials said. This may include stripping off meritorious awards and removing the officers from the list of seniority.

A similar action is also expected against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The Union Home Ministry has sought action against Rajeev Kumar for sitting at the dharna of Ms Banerjee. The central government has taken a dim view of serving officers of uniformed forces allegedly taking part in sit-in protests and dharnas of the chief minister in Kolkata on February 4, a home ministry official said.

Besides DGP Virendra Kumar, the four other officers under the radar of the ministry are ADG-Security Vineet Kumar Goyal, ADG-Law and Order Anuj Sharma, Commissioner of Police (Bidhan Nagar) Gyanwant Singh, Additional Commissioner of Kolkata Police Supratim Sarkar.