Highly partisan: Plea seeks removal of 'Singham' IPS officer as Bengal poll observer

Calling him "highly partisan," the petition alleged that after assuming his role, Ajay Pal Sharma has "engaged in acts of intimidation, undue influence, and partisan conduct, including threats directed at political candidates, thereby vitiating the electoral environment."

In Short

• The officer drew attention in Bengal before the second polling phase
• Complainants described Sharma as highly partisan after he took charge
• They accused him of intimidation, undue influence and political bias

As ‘Singham’ IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma made headlines in Bengal in the run-up to the second phase, a petition seeking his “urgent” removal as police observer from South 24 Parganas district, where polls are being held today, has been filed, India Today has learnt.

Calling him “highly partisan,” the petition alleged that after assuming his role, Ajay Pal Sharma has “engaged in acts of intimidation, undue influence, and partisan conduct, including threats directed at political candidates, thereby vitiating the electoral environment.”

Also known as an “encounter specialist” in various circles of Uttar Pradesh for leading key operations during his postings there, Sharma’s deployment has kicked up a storm between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress in the state.

SINGHAM VS PUSHPA

Things took a dramatic turn on Tuesday when the Trinamool Congress accused Ajay Pal Sharma of entering houses in the Falta area of South 24 Parganas district and “harassing” women. In a video, the IPS officer was seen outside Trinamool Congress’s Falta candidate and Abhishek Banerjee’s close aide, Jahangir Khan’s house, warning him against trying to derail the election process.

“Make sure he understands. If there are complaints of people being threatened, we will deal with it properly,” he said.

Even as his warning was seen as intimidation by many within the Trinamool Congress, West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said that Ajay Pal’s remarks were not threatening in nature but were made only to instill confidence among voters and rid them of any fears. “He knows his limits,” said the poll body official.

Praising Ajay Pal Sharma's warning to Jahangir Khan, BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted, "Ajay Pal Sharma, the encounter specialist and “Singham” of UP Police, has been deployed as a Police Observer in South 24 Parganas. He wasted no time in setting the tone, firmly reading the riot act to the family members of Abhishek Banerjee’s close aide, Jahangir Khan."

Even though Jahangir was not present at the time Ajay Pal Sharma paid him a visit, he issued a warning, saying: “If he is Singham, then I am Pushpa. Jhukega nahi.”

Talking to the local media, he further said, “What encounter specialist? We don’t care we can’t be shut down by threats.”

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