New Delhi: Two days after Nashik police commissioner Deepak Pandey issued a directive stating that no one within 100 metres of a mosque will be allowed to play bhajans or songs on loudspeakers 15 minutes before and after the call for azaan, he was transferred out of his post, the Indian Express reported.

Pandey had issued the directive regarding the playing of songs on loudspeakers on Monday, April 18, when he had also written to religious places in the city instructing them to take permission for the use of loudspeakers before May 3. He went on to say that those religious places which fail to do so will face legal action, including possible detention by the police.

The order stated that “every church, temple, gurudwara or mosque” would have to file an application at the Nashik police commissionerate seeking permission to use loudspeakers.

Pandey’s order came in response to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s ‘ultimatum’ to the Maharashtra government demanding the loudspeakers outside mosques which play azaan be removed, threatening to play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on loudspeakers if this is not done before May 3.

Also read: Amidst Raj Thackeray's 'Ultimatum', Maha DGP Asks Cops To Enforce SC Guidelines on Loudspeakers

Pandey has been appointed as the special inspector-general of prevention of atrocities against women (PAW), which is considered a side-posting in response to his directives.

Pandey’s transfer is also being linked to a letter he wrote to Maharashtra director-general of police (DGP) earlier this month in which he accused revenue officials of harassing citizens and working in cahoots with the state’s land mafia. 

Seeking that the powers of revenue officials and executive magistrates be transferred to the police, Pandey, in the letter, reportedly referred to revenue officials as ‘RDX’, an explosive substance, and the executive magistrate as a ‘detonator’; terms which the Maharashtra cabinet had taken exception to.

A spate of transfers

Pandey’s transfer triggered a major reshuffle in the state’s police force, setting off 40 transfers or promotions of senior police personnel.

Jayant Naiknavare, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police (VIP security), will replace Pandey as the Nashik police commissioner.

The government has also transferred Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner Krishna Prakash, who will be the new special police inspector general (VIP security), Maharashtra.

Special IG Ankush Shinde will replace Prakash as the Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner.

In turn, Milind Bharambe, joint commissioner of police (JCP), Mumbai, has been transferred and posted as special inspector general.

Pune JCP Ravindra Shisve has been appointed IG (state human rights commission), while senior officer Sureshkumar Mekala has been named IG (State CID).

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) DIG Lakhmi Gautam has been transferred as IG (establishment) in the Maharashtra police headquarters, while Sandeep Karnik has been promoted and appointed JCP in Pune city.

Another senior officer, Satyanarayan, has been appointed IG (coastal security), Praveen Kumar Padwal, joint commissioner of police (EOW), while S. Jaykumar has been promoted as IG (administration) in the state police headquarters.

IPS officer Nishith Mishra has been posted as IG (Anti-Terrorism Squad), Sanjay Mohite promoted as IG (Konkan range), Dattatray Karale as JCP Thane, Pravin Pawar as Director, Maharashtra Intelligence Academy, and B. G. Shekhar as IG (Nashik range).

(With PTI inputs)

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