The Hindu : Bihar police chief sacked

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 07, 2003

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Bihar police chief sacked

By K. Balchand

PATNA DEC. 6. The Bihar Government today removed the Director-General of Police, D.P. Ojha, from his post for criticising ruling party leaders. Mr. Ojha, who has spoken out against the criminalisation of politics, threatened to put in his papers and challenge his removal before the Supreme Court.

Appointing W.H. Khan as the new DGP, the Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, maintained that Mr. Ojha was not worthy of the post as he had violated the code of conduct and spoken against the State Government.

At a special Cabinet meeting convened on Friday night by the Chief Minister, several Ministers took exception to Mr. Ojha's statements in public about the political leadership of the State. Mr. Ojha was also invited to the meeting and he is said to have stood by his words.

The RJD president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, said that the Government would seek an explanation from Mr. Ojha for violating the rules of service. He denied that the police officer had been removed for targeting the RJD MP, Mohd. Shahbuddin.

Mr. Yadav said it was a mistake to have appointed Mr. Ojha as the DGP as the CBI had suggested departmental proceedings against him on several charges.

Mr. Ojha, who is scheduled to retire in February next, maintained that he was being forced to pay the price for the report he had forwarded to the Government relating to the criminal and anti-national activities of Mr. Shahbuddin and his links with the ISI. What he forwarded to the Government was a note he had sent to the Muzaffarpur IG recommending action against Mr. Shahbuddin.

The former Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party president, Ram Vilas Paswan, described Mr. Ojha as a good and honest officer and said his removal was "unfortunate and wrong". The Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Sushil Kumar Modi, said Mr. Ojha paid the price for his action against criminals.

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