Nearly seven years after he was shunted out when his name surfaced in connection with the death of Rizwanur Rehman, IPS officer Gyanwant Singh has been promoted as the Deputy Inspector General of Murshidabad Range.
Rehman, who had married Priyanka Todi, daughter of a prominent city industrialist in 2007, was found dead on September 21, 2007.
The family members alleged that senior police officers, including Mr. Singh, had summoned Rehman to the Lalbazar Police Headquarter a number of times and pressurised him.
The inter-religious marriage had not gone down well with industrialist Ashok Todi, and he had reportedly sought the help of the police to try to separate the couple.
Mr. Singh faced departmental proceedings after the incident, but no charge could be proved.
Criticising the elevation, civil rights activist Ranjit Sur pointed out that Mamata Banerjee had promised justice to Rehman’s mother when the Trinamool Congress was in the Opposition.
“Ms. Banerjee had assured Rizwanur’s mother that those responsible for his death would be punished, but now when she has come to power, she has promoted the officer. This is a political decision that she took keeping in mind the approaching Assembly election. She is trying to use Mr. Singh’s designation to her own benefit,” Mr. Sur told The Hindu .
Mr. Singh has been made the DIG of Murshidabad, a politically sensitive district, with a high population of Muslims, he said, and added that the decision to promote him should be revoked.
