Maharashtra polls: MVA demands removal of DGP Rashmi Shukla for allegedly ‘tapping phones’

MUMBAI: The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has demanded the removal of Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla, accusing her of framing opposition party workers in false cases and tapping the phones of opposition leaders. The MVA alliance, which alleges that Shukla is acting at the insistence of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, has submitted a written complaint against the DGP to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

After Congress state president Nana Patole wrote to the ECI seeking Shukla’s removal, its ally, the Shiv Sena (UBT), is alleging that the state’s top cop is pressuring the district police across Maharashtra to register false cases against Shiv Sena (UBT) and other MVA party workers. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that the objective is to extern opposition party workers so that they cannot participate in the election campaign.

Raut on Friday said that the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra could not be conducted in a free and fair environment as long as Shukla remains in her post. “There are very serious allegations against DGP Rashmi Shukla. In 2019, when the MVA was in the process of forming the government, Shukla tapped the phones of MVA leaders and passed on information to the outgoing chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis. Now too our phones are being tapped,” said Raut.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole wrote to chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar, seeking Shukla’s removal as DGP for being biased against the opposition. “Kindly refer to our previous letters dated 24th September 2024 and 4th October 2024, concerning the removal of Rashmi Shukla from the post of Director General of Police, Maharashtra. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) reiterated this request during a briefing with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on 27th September 2024,” the letter stated.

It added, “While the DGP of Jharkhand was removed immediately after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was enforced, DGP Maharashtra was exempted. Over the past 20 days, political violence against opposition parties has significantly escalated, with a notable deterioration in the law and order situation. She has shown a clear bias against the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), as evidenced by her previous record of illegal phone tapping of opposition leaders while serving as Commissioner of Police, Pune, and Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID).”