Rajkumar Pandian (RK Pandian) is an Indian Police Service officer. He came to attention over claims in the death of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. From 2016 he was Inspector-general of police in Junagadh, even while the Sohrabuddin case was in courts.[1] In 2018 the Bombay High Court upheld his discharge from this case.[2]
Sohrabuddin case
editIn 2007 Rajnish Rai arrested Pandian along with D G Vanzara and Dinesh M N related to the death of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.[3] In March 2014 Pandian got bail after having been in prison for seven years since his 2007 arrest.[4]
In April 2013 The Hindu reported that Pandian was found to be at his home during the time when he was supposed to be incarcerated.[5] The explanation seemed to be that Pandian was getting undisclosed and favored treatment to leave the jail.[5]
After 2014
editIn 2016 Pandian held a position at the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation.[1] Following that position, he took a post as Inspector-general of police in Junagadh.[1] There was consideration in 2017 that he might take a post in the Ahmedabad crime Branch.[6]
In February 2018 Pandian claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation had framed him in the Sohrabuddin case.[7][8] In 2018 the Bombay High Court upheld Pandian's discharge from the Sohrabuddin case.[2]
In 2019 Pandian arrested cybercriminals who had stolen money from his wife.[9]
In 2019 Pandian expressed interest in reviewing criminal complaints about land disputes.[10]
Comments on police work
editIn his role as a police officer Pandian has regularly given comment to the media on law enforcement. In 2018 he commented on a violent crime.[11] In 2020 he commented on enforcing COVID-19 quarantine.[12][13] In December 2020 he commented on the use of CCTV to monitor traffic safety.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b c Press Trust of India (13 October 2016). "Gujarat: State govt transfers 21 IPS officers, Rajkumar Pandian back in state". The Indian Express.
- ^ a b Press Trust of India (10 September 2018). "Bombay HC upholds discharge of Vanzara, 4 others in Sohrabuddin case". Hindustan Times.
- ^ Mahurkar, Uday; Parijar, Rohit (7 May 2007). "IPS officers D G Vanzara, R K Pandian arrested in Sohrabuddin's encounter case". India Today.
- ^ Kumar, Devesh (28 March 2014). "Sohrabuddin encounter: suspended Gujarat IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian gets bail". NDTV.
- ^ a b special correspondent (29 April 2013). "TV shows jailed IPS officer visiting home". The Hindu.
{{cite web}}:|author1=has generic name (help) - ^ "Rajkumar Pandian likely to head A'bad Crime Branch?". Ahmedabad Mirror. 9 February 2017.
- ^ Press Trust of India (25 February 2018). "Sohrabuddin Case: I Fought Dawood; CBI Framed Me, Says IPS Officer In Court". NDTV.
- ^ Scroll Staff (25 February 2018). "IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian, accused in Sohrabuddin case, claims CBI framed him". Scroll.in.
- ^ DNA Correspondent (21 April 2019). "4 held from UP for duping Surat Range IG's wife of Rs 1.37 lakh". DNA India.
{{cite web}}:|author1=has generic name (help) - ^ "THE SECRETARIAT: MEA calling Gujarat IAS officer". Ahmedabad Mirror. 29 July 2019.
- ^ Press Trust of India (24 September 2018). "Man stabs 5 during Ganesh immersion procession in Gujarat". Ahmedabad Mirror.
- ^ Jha, Satish (4 April 2020). "Amidst lockdown, two policemen arrested for offering prayer at a mosque in south Gujarat". Deccan Herald.
- ^ "Partying doesn't stop in Surat". Ahmedabad Mirror. 28 December 2020.
- ^ Mehta, Yagnesh Bharat (28 December 2020). "CCTVs to penalize highway traffic violators in Valsad". The Times of India.