Click to play videoAhmedabad: The Narendra Modi government and the union Home Ministry are heading for a standoff- this time over the transfer of a senior police officer.
IPS officer Kuldip Sharma, who once headed Gujarat's anti terror squad, has been refused a transfer after he made serious allegations against the Modi government.
The letters from the Home Ministry dated November 10 and December 2 show the Centre's ultimatum demanding Sharma's release for central deputation; however, the Gujarat government has since chargesheeted Sharma and is refusing to relieve him.
Sharma has now approached the Central Administrative Tribunal, alleging that he is being targeted for not toeing the Modi government 's line.
In his complaint Sharma says:
- That as head of CID, his report on Sohrabuddin fake encounter case implicated several policemen.
- Sharma alleges CM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah put pressure on him to arrest danseuse Mallika Sarabhai in an alleged human trafficking case.
- Sharma says he was transferred from the team probing the case involving stock-broker Ketan Parekh in the co-operative bank scam case.
- And that he was pressurised by the government to declare innocent, one Jayesh Shah, arrested in 2004 by the CID for forgery
The Gujarat government, however, says that Sharma's charges are only a cover up.
Gujarat government spokesperson, Jaynarayan Vyas said, "There are a number of IAS and IPS officers who are empanelled for deputation. Kuldeep Sharma is not an isolated case. State government has the right to say sorry, we can't release you to the Centre…His allegations are five years old. Why is he bringing this up now?
Sharma, who once headed Gujarat's anti-terror cell, is not the first police officer to run into trouble with the Modi government.
Retired DGP R B Sreekumar was targetted for criticising the Modi government during the 2002 post-Godhra communal riots.
said, “Modi, Shah are known to harass cops that don't toe their line."
The Kuldip Sharma episode has also exposed the uneasy relationship between the Modi government and the Centre. Already, the Centre has refused to grant assent to GUJCOCA, the anti-terror law proposed by the Modi government. Will the tug of war over Sharma only further widen the divide?
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