Bhubaneswar: Former Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik joined the BJD on Wednesday.
"He will be a tremendous asset for our party," said BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik while welcoming the super cop to his party.
Wearing white kurta pyjama and sporting a green scarf emblazoned with conch shell, the election symbol of the BJD, the 62-year-old retired police officer, a recipient of many awards, said: "I have served the people outside the state for several years. Now I am excited that I have been given opportunity to serve the people of my own state."
A 1979 batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre has held several important positions and the first Odia to become the police commissioner of Mumbai.
A student of Mayo College, Ajmer, Arup said: "I was away from Odisha since my childhood as I had studied outside my state. Then my service cadre was also outside the Odisha."
Known for his tough action against bars in Mumbai, Arup has inspired Bollywood films such as Aan and Black Friday.
Born on September 8, 1955, he retired from the police service on September 30, 2015, after a 36-year-long distinguished career. Besides, being known as an upright and tough cop, he is involved in philanthropic activities in Mumbai. He is a trustee of Konark Cancer Foundation, a social organisation serving cancer patients in Mumbai, particularly Odias.
Joining of non-politicians in BJD is nothing new. On March 7, Naveen had inducted social activist and educator Achyut Samant and sent him to the Rajya Sabha. Many film stars, including Siddhant Mohapatra and Anubhav Mohanty, former hockey India captain Dillip Tirkey and several social activists have joined the BJD during the last two decades. It is for the first time, a high-profile police officer has joined the BJD, which is making attempts to expand its sphere of influence to the non-political strata of the society.
Asked about the reason for joining the BJD, Patnaik said: " I think politics is a better medium to serve the people".
Replying to a query as to whether he had been offered any post in the party, he said: "I have joined as a worker. I am a regimented man and will abide by the party discipline."
