Additional Chief Secy (Home) K P Bakshi is unfazed as far as the present reshuffle in the police hierarchy of Mumbai is concerned. The shunting out of Rakesh Maria as police chief and the elevation of Ahmad Javed is not a big deal for Bakshi. He calls it a routine affair that has nothing to do with the ongoing Sheena Bora murder case. Bakshi, a 1982 batch IAS, is five years junior than the present DGP, Sanjeev Dayal, a 1977 batch IPS. Dayal now reports to Bakshi as per protocol. KP Bakshi spoke to Joydeep R Ray of The Free Press Journal on Tuesday evening and justified the decisions taken by his department which comes directly under jurisdiction of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Excerpts:
Q: Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria was scheduled to be promoted and take new charge on October 1. Suddenly, the Home Department issues a notification in the middle of a critical murder case probe and his promotion is advanced. Is there anything more than what meets the eye?
A: All the promotions and transfers are executed on the basis of not one or two reasons. There are many reasons which make the government to take a decision finally. In this case also, several reasons were considered before Mr Maria’s promotion was preponed. Nothing is sudden, let me tell you clearly.
Q: What are these reasons which cumulatively led to Mr Maria’s replacement taking charge the very day the former was elevated and transferred to a new post?
A: I told you several reasons. Thoughts have been given for long on different aspects and then the decision has been taken. There are many law and order related police activities coming up during the festive season starting mid-September, there are several other things which need to be addressed before the festive season commences. This not about a particular case or two, this about manning a city. Mr Maria, as the new DGP (Home Guards) will also have a role to play in law and order in the coming days and so, it is actually a team game.
Q: But is it not too co-incidental that on Monday, the prime accused duo was sent to judicial custody and then early on Tuesday, the third accused was also sent to jail as an under-trial prisoner. Moments later, the man who was leading the probe was asked to relinquish his charges. Your take?
A: Earlier we thought of elevating Mr Maria on September 15 or 16. But then the chief minister also has his schedule and lots of decisions are to be taken before Ganesh festival begins. So we wanted the new incumbent to have at least 10 days in hand to take stock and act. So, Mr Ahmad was asked to take charge on Tuesday only without causing any delay. Let me clarify, this reshuffling has nothing to do with any particular probe even if you are mentioning the Sheena (Bora) case.
Q: Won’t Mr Maria’s sudden shift from the probe affect the progress of such a complex case?
A: No, not at all. The person who has taken over from Mr Maria is also a very, very competent officer and we are sure he will handle the case efficiently.
Q: Does that mean Mr Maria was not handling it efficiently?
A: I am not saying so. I am saying due to someone’s transfer, a case investigation will not be hampered.
Q: Now that you have brought in Mr Ahmad as the new police chief of Mumbai who has barely four months to serve. By the time he understands the task, he will retire from the service and for this, you also had to upgrade the post of city police commissioner from that of an ADGP to a DGP. Are the efforts worth it?
A: This happens at the Centre also when at times senior bureaucrats have only two or three months to be in service and that too in a top post. So what you do? You don’t get their promotions effected just because they have a short tenure left to be served. This is a common practice across the states and even Centre. Do not read much in this. (smiles)
Q: There are theories coming out in certain sections of the media that punitive actions were not taken by the erstwhile Commissioner of Police against Peter Mukerjea as apparently, Mr Maria was close to him. What is the level of truth in it?
A: There is nothing like this, I told you there are several reasons, several thoughts are given before a senior officer’s promotion and or transfer. The due process was done and then the final call was taken.
Q: Any influence of Lalitgate?
A: No, no, no. See, we had to promote him someday soon, right? So we did it before the due date comes.
Q: But then, your DGP Mr Sanjeev Dayal is due to retire on September 30, you could have found his replacement too who would have taken charge from him on October 1. That is also an important activity and it affects the law and order of the entire state and not only Mumbai city. Why it’s not been done?
A: We will do it before Mr Dayal’s retirement date. You will soon hear from us on this too.
