Former SP of Bundi alleges Raje-Government of charge sheeting him for not going soft on Bajrang Dal & Vishwa Hindu Parishad rioters
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Former Bundi Superintendent of Police Pankaj Chaudhary was sent a chargesheet by the Rajasthan State Government for adopting inaction in communal clashes which broke out last year in areas under his jurisdiction.
The IPS officer who termed all the allegations baseless alleged Vasundhara Raje-government of deliberately targeting him since he went after riots affiliated with Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Choudhary, who was the superintendent of police (SP) of Bundi when on September 12, 2014, the Nainwa town in Rajasthan witnessed a communal flare-up when some Hindu extremists damaged a mosque and set ablaze several vehicles after rumors spread of the desecration of an idol inside a temple.
The town, which is located at four hours’ drive from the district headquarters, witnessed much tension following which the police clamped a curfew in the area and also arrested some members of right-wing groups. A few days later, on September 21, Chaudhary was abruptly transferred.
The IPS Officer, Pankaj Choudary alleged that he received ‘pressure from all levels of government’ to release the apprehended saffron extremists and instead build false cases against Muslims.
“Everything was planned, targets were fixed as to who would damage the bus, who would cause arson, etc. Soon, I started facing pressure from all levels of government, including senior police and administrative officials, to let the rioters go. I was under tremendous pressure to let the rioters go free and instead, register false cases against Muslims for inciting violence. But I resisted all pressure and refused. That is when the government removed me on September 21,” he was quoted as saying by Newspaper, The Indian Express.
“As the district SP, I led a team of policemen who rounded up 11 person, some from the VHP, others from Bajrang Dal. All of them had criminal records. Five persons from the other side (Muslims) were also detained and questioned. If we had not acted, the situation would have escalated into a violent communal riot with serious repercussions,” Pankaj added.
Further, Pankaj, who is presently serving as commandant of 11th battalion of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC), has threatened to expose five IPS and two IAS officers whom he called “crocodiles of all India service” and “ghaddar” (quislings).
“I have never relented to any pressure against the truth. Maybe that’s why it’s my fourth posting in a career of 15 years. But I am not going to be cowed by them. Let me offer my reply to the charge sheet — I will expose all those who decided to side with the criminals in the Nainwa case,” he said.
Chaudhary had hogged the limelight during the former chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s tenure for opening criminal cases of Congress leader Gazi Fakeer in Jaisalmer as Superintendent of Police Jaisalmer and was shifted out in August 2013.