My quitting has nothing to do with Sushant case, says Bihar police chief

Gupteshwar Pandey, who quit as Bihar police chief on September 22, said on Wednesday (September 23) that his decision had nothing to do with the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

The case has become a political talking point ahead of Bihar’s election.

The state government on Tuesday approved Pandey’s request for voluntary retirement, waiving a three-month mandatory notice period. The speculation is that he is keen to contest the Bihar election as a candidate of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from Shahpur in Buxar district.

He has not ruled out joining politics.

“I am no longer DGP (Director General of Police). So, no government rules apply to me anymore. As for what I will do… people are coming from Buxar, Jehanabad, Begusarai, many other districts…people are coming to me. I will speak to people as to how they want my service and then take a decision,” said Pandey.

“I have not said that I will contest polls yet,” he said.

“I haven’t joined any party. When I do, I will tell you. Politics is not the only way of serving the society.”

Pandey was instrumental in Bihar government’s push in the Sushant Singh Rajput investigations after his family filed a case in Patna blaming his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty.

After the Supreme Court cleared the CBI investigation recommended by the Bihar government, Pandey, as police chief, said that Rhea Chakraborty “does not have the aukat (stature)” to comment on the Chief Minister. He was referring to her remarks in the top court about the Nitish Kumar government using the Sushant Rajput investigation for political capital.

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In earlier statements, Pandey had admitted that the Sushant Singh Rajput case had turned political and said it was “unfortunate” that “allegations were being leveled against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.”

Gupteshwar Pandey, a 1987 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, reportedly wished to contest from the Buxar Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket in 2009, but his dream to plunge into politics did not materialize.

Pandey graduated from Patna University in Sanskrit and even took his UPSC exam in Sanskrit. He cleared the UPSC in his first attempt and went on to become an Income Tax officer. In his second attempt, he cleared the IPS.

Pandey served as the SP of several Maoist-affected districts like Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Begusarai and Nalanda, besides being DIG of Munger and Muzaffarpur zone.