Prasun escapes Rizwan shadow

Prasun Mookerjee, the erstwhile Kolkata Police commissioner removed in connection with the Rizwanur Rahman case, is in a fresh controversy. Mukherjee was last week promoted as DG, Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D).

Though eligible for promotion, it was kept on hold as a departmental inquiry was on against him in the Rizwanur case. However, he managed to get the promotion and a key deputation, even before the inquiry was over or its report submitted. Mukherjee retires in 2010.

There are rumblings in the state’s IPS circle, over preferential treatment to Mukherjee when two other IPS officers tainted in the same case — erstwhile deputy commissioner (headquarters), Gyanwant Singh and erstwhile deputy commissioner (detective department - I) Ajay Kumar — are still awaiting promotions. The two are eligible for promotion to the rank of DIG, but are serving as SP pending inquiries in the Rizwanur case.

Not only that, the promotion of five other SP officials to DIG rank is on hold so that seniority is not disturbed.

Mukherjee’s promotion has also surprised lower rank officers. The erstwhile assistant commissioner (anti rowdy squad) Sukanti Chakraborty retired recently. But his retirement benefits have been frozen. Another tainted cop in the case, erstwhile sub inspector (ARS), Krishnendu Das, has been dumped to an insignificant section.