Former Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey on Thursday, 24 September, said that he is yet to decide on contesting the Assembly elections.
Pandey while briefing the media stated that “people are coming to me in large numbers, telling me that if I wish to enter politics then I should contest election from their district. Everyone is very close to me. It'll be a decision by the public. If they want me to, then I may enter politics,” news agency ANI reported.
When questioned about the criticism he received by the political leaders, the former Bihar DGP told ANI, “it’ll obviously happen as I’ve no godfather. I don’t have a political background. We used to do farming and rear cattle. I’ve come from there. It’s not acceptable to some.”
On Wednesday, Pandey had denied speculations surrounding his entry into politics, “I have not joined any political party as of now and I have not taken any decision on it yet. As far as social work is concerned, I can do it without entering politics too,” Pandey added.
Speculation on Entry Into Politics
Pandey had taken VRS from government service on Tuesday, five months before his tenure was to end in February 2021. Since then, there is a buzz that he may join the Janata Dal (United) to contest the Assembly elections.
“I have taken VRS on a personal capacity and am meeting with the people coming from across the state including my home district Buxar. I am connected with them through community policing for years. They are asking me to contest elections but I have not taken any decision to contest elections or join any political party till now,” he said on Wednesday, reported news agency IANS.
Pandey was made the DGP of Bihar on 31 January 2019, and his term was supposed to end on 28 February 2021.
Before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections too, Pandey had applied for VRS. At that time, elections were considered to be the reason behind his decision, though he withdrew his application after he failed to get a ticket from Buxar.
“I have been associated with community policing since my first posting in Chatra district (Now in Jharkhand) as Superintendent of Police (SP). I was involved in over 50 encounters in Bihar and Jharkhand. With those encounter followed by community policing the crime rate of Begusarai was at the all-time low in 1993 and 1994,” Pandey said, the IANS report added.
The Sushant Singh Rajput Case
Pandey had recently come into the limelight when he made statements in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. He had said that actor Rhea Chakraborty does not have the ‘aukat’ to comment on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
“I have commented on Rhea Chakraborty after she has alleged CM Nitish Kumar. I have pointed out that she is facing criminal charges alleged conspiracy charges in Sushant case. Anyone who is already facing criminal charges should not blame a person sitting on a constitutional post," Pandey added.
Reacting to the allegations of Shiv Sena, he said, “registering FIR in Patna pertains to Sushant mysterious death case was not illegal. It has been proven in the Supreme Court. I have recommended Sushant case to CBI which was the last effort from my side. I did that just because his old and helpless father lives in Patna and he was not satisfied with the investigation by Mumbai police."
(With inputs from IANS and ANI)
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