Delhi Police chief may go

New Delhi (PTI): Speculation is rife over the fate of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar in the wake of recent rape of a five-year-old girl and police insensitivity in handling it. There are reports that Kumar may be shifted out of the key post and Special Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi may be asked to take charge as new Delhi Police chief.

Home Ministry sources said Kumar, a 1976 batch IPS officer, who faced widespread criticism over the handling of December 16 gang rape of a girl in a moving bus and its fallout, may be transferred to the Bureau of Police Research and Development or asked to go on leave. Kumar is due to retire in July. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is said to be unhappy with Delhi Police's handling of rape of the five-year-old girl, manhandling of West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra as well as the storming of his house by protesters recently. Interestingly, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who is critical of the Delhi Police over the handling of public protests over the December 16 gang-rape of a girl, and Bassi, a 1977 batch IPS officer, met the Home Minister separately. When contacted about the speculation about the Delhi Police Commissioner, Shinde said "so far no decision has been taken". Sources said Shinde wants to effect a reshuffle in the Home Ministry in the level of Joint Secretary and the Additional Secretary as well as in the Delhi Police, which directly reports to him. A reshuffle was also effected in Delhi Police today among its middle-level officers assigning new jobs to them. The Deputy Commissioner of Police of East Delhi, where the rape of a five-year-old girl had taken place, was shifted in the reshuffle. Prabhakar, a 2003-batch IPS officer who was Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), was transfered to Prime Minister's Security in the same rank, a senior police official said.