SSR’s death case to politics: Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey takes retirement, may contest elections for BJP

Bihar’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey on Tuesday took voluntary retirement (VRS) from service, triggering speculation that he would contest the coming state Assembly polls. Pandey’s request seeking voluntary retirement was approved by Governor Phagu Chauhan, a notification issued by the state home department said.

Pandey is likely to contest the forthcoming Assembly polls from Buxar, sources said. He has reportedly been assured a ticket from the BJP.

Pandey’s political inclinations were indicated by his recent remarks on the Sushant Singh Rajput case. He has been critical of Mumbai Police in the matter. He had also sparked a controversy by saying that actor Rhea Chakraborty didn’t have the “stature” to comment on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Pandey had earlier taken premature retirement to contest Lok Sabha elections in 2009.

Gupteshwar Pandey, a 1987 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, reportedly wished to contest from the Buxar Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket in 2009.

With the intention of contesting the Lok Sabha polls, the now Bihar DGP opted for voluntary retirement scheme in March, 2009. His dream to plunge into electoral politics, however, did not materialize.

Even as politicians battled it out to take credit for the apex court’s decision in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, all eyes were set on Pandey, a 1987-batch IPS officer from Bihar’s Buxar district. While it may be rare for a police officer to have the ability to hog the limelight in the midst of a political-cum-Bollywood spectacle, Pandey is a police officer like no other.