Not thinking of resigning, says Maria after abrupt transfer

Mumbai, Sept 9: A day after he was shunted out of the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner, senior IPS officer Rakesh Maria on Wednesday said he was not contemplating quitting.

"I am not thinking of resigning. Reports saying so are not true," Maria said this morning. There was speculation after Maria's sudden promotion that he might resign from the post as he was apparently unhappy with the action.

Maria, who was heading the high-profile Sheena Bora murder case and had interrogated the accused, was shunted out of the post and promoted as Director General of Police Home Guards.

He was replaced by Ahmed Javed, a DG-rank official, who took over as Mumbai Police Commissioner in the upgraded post.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had cleared both the appointments before he left for Japan on Monday night.

However, after the sudden action that created quite a flutter, the Maharashtra government climbed down in the evening and said he would continue to "supervise" the probe. The decision came under attack from opposition Congress and NCP.

Mumbai Congress had yesterday said the transfer was prompted by "undue pressure" from bossesin New Delhi and corporate houses.

As various theories floated over the reasons for Maria's transfer, State Home Department had said the changes were made taking into account the law and order factor ahead of the Ganapati festival, dismissing suggestions that it has some links with the ongoing investigation in the Sheena murder case.

PTI