Kolkata, April 9: Three days after the Election Commission transferred four senior cops in West Bengal, including Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, the EC on Tuesday transferred Abhishek Gupta from the post of Superintendent of Police of Cooch Behar and has posted Amit Kumar Singh in his place.

With the recent transfer of the Cooch Behar SP ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections, political furore in West Bengal is most likely to gain momentum. Earlier too, after the overnight transfer of four top cops, WB CM Mamata Banerjee had questioned the decision of EC and wrote a letter to them on Saturday.  Mamata Banerjee Writes to EC on Overnight Transfer of 4 Top Cops in West Bengal Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2019. 

Miffed with the EC decision, the WB CM wrote, "I strongly feel that the EC plays a neutral role to save democracy in India. But, it is very unfortunate that I have to write this letter today to raise strong protest against the transfer order dated April 5, 2019, issued by the EC by way of removing four senior officers from their existing positions."

Adding more, she stated, "The decision of the Commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the Commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.e the BJP."

As per to the reports, Anuj Sharma - who had been transferred - was in the eye of the massive storm after he appeared next to Banerjee' dharna site, earlier in March. At that time, it was reported that Sharma and other bureaucrats could be barred from future central deputations. EC Transfers 4 Top West Bengal Cops Including Kolkata Police Commissioner Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2019. 

West Bengal's CM in defiance had commissioned Sharma as Police Commissioner of Kolkata, but now after the election commission has transferred him and three other officers, it has further given credential to the claims made by the opposition parties in the state.

Thus it was expected Mamata Banerjee to counter and she would be writing to the ECI. The letter sought answers as what prompted the ECI to transfer these four senior officers, suggesting the law and order is subjected to the state and should be kept that way.

The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will take place in seven phases - April 11 to May 19. The results would be announced on May 23.

(With Inputs From Agencies)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 09, 2019 04:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).