Police inspector Goutam Das, who was posted to Kalighat police station at the behest of the Election Commission and later suspended for posing with a gun on social media, has now been posted to the chief minister’s office (CMO).
Das’s suspension was withdrawn after the Bengal election results were declared.
A government order issued on Tuesday said Das, currently posted in the south division of Kolkata Police, had been assigned to the “Office of Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal at Nabanna on deputation basis until further orders”.
Das, who was officer-in-charge of Kalighat police station, was removed from the post within a week of taking charge following a complaint over a social media post uploaded days before the Assembly elections.
Das had posted a photograph of himself in uniform holding a sophisticated gun and taking aim. The image showed him seated in the chair of the OC of Kalighat police station, with his right index finger on the trigger. The caption read: “Ready for new assignment...”
Though no official reason was cited for the transfer, sources in the state Election Commission had then said the immediate trigger was a complaint filed by Trinamool state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar.
Kalighat police station’s jurisdiction was especially sensitive ahead of the elections as it included the residence of Mamata Banerjee and fell within the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, where Suvendu Adhikari was contesting against her.
Das will now be part of Suvendu’s core team.
Last week, the suspension order of constable Ramakrishna Kayal was also revoked. Kayal, who was posted in Kolkata Police’s disaster management group, had been suspended for making comments seen as religious fundamentalism while in police uniform.