The Election Commission on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to remove DGP Rashmi Shukla. This decision came after the Congress party complained that she was biased against opposition parties and was involved in illegal phone tapping. According to ANI reports, the state’s Chief Secretary has been asked to hand over her duties to the next senior-most IPS officer in Maharashtra.
This action comes after multiple complaints from the Congress party, which claimed that Shukla, a senior IPS officer, demonstrated “clear bias” against opposition groups, including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP). Last month, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, requesting Shukla’s removal. Patole’s letter pointed to past incidents, accusing Shukla of illegally tapping the phones of opposition leaders during her time as Pune Police Commissioner and later as head of the State Intelligence Department.
The Congress also alleged that Shukla had directed police officers throughout Maharashtra to file false cases against opposition leaders. “She has reportedly directed various CPs and SPs to initiate baseless cases targeting opposition figures, which the Election Commission appears to be overlooking,” Patole alleged in the letter.
This isn’t the first instance of the opposition questioning the management of police roles during the election period. Patole noted that while Jharkhand’s DGP was quickly removed after the Model Code of Conduct was enforced, Maharashtra’s DGP remained in office despite similar calls for removal. Furthermore, the Congress party claimed that political violence against opposition parties has increased in recent weeks, affecting the state’s law and order under Shukla’s leadership.