• Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar to be reinstated, ECI withdraws following Revanth Reddy meet controversy

    National
    Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar to be reinstated, ECI withdraws following Revanth Reddy meet controversy
    The suspension resulted from the Election Commission's opinion that such contacts, particularly with a contested candidate...

    Digital Desk: The Election Commission of India (ECI) annulled Anjani Kumar's suspension as Telangana's Director General of Police (DGP), who faced disciplinary action for meeting Congress leader and now Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on December 3.

    The ECI had suspended DGP Anjani Kumar, along with state police nodal officers Sanjay Jain and Mahesh Bhagwat after they were recorded delivering a bouquet to Revanth Reddy at his Hyderabad mansion. 

    It is to be mentioned that the meeting took place during the assembly elections' vote-counting phase, prompting worries about a potential violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).

    The suspension resulted from the Election Commission's claim that such contacts, particularly with a contested candidate and a notable campaigner, could jeopardise the electoral process's neutrality. 

    The images of DGP Anjani Kumar with Revanth Reddy sparked a social media firestorm, causing the Election Commission to move quickly to protect the voting process's integrity. 

    According to the committee, the DGP's decision to meet with a single candidate out of a total of 2,290 and the star campaigner of one political party out of 16 was indicative of a potentially inappropriate motive.

    However, In a government order, Telangana Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari stated, "Ravi Gupta is placed in full additional charge to the post of DGP, head of police force (HoPF) of Telangana, with immediate effect, until further orders."

    With the ECI's recent decision to reinstate the suspension, Anjani Kumar is anticipated to resume his duties as Telangana's Director General of Police.