PATNA: Bihar’s controversial police officer Ranjan Kumar, who was at the centre of a face-off between chief minister Nitish Kumar and the Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, was issued marching orders on Friday.
Ranjan, currently the sub-divisional police officer of Lakhisarai, has been transferred to East Champaran district, according to a notification issued by the home department.
Syed Imran Masood, a young 2018-batch IPS officer, will replace Ranjan. Masood was earlier posted as additional SP of Danapur in Patna. Ranjan and two other police officers were accused of misbehaving with Sinha when the latter enquired about the arrest of one Gautam Kumar in connection with violation of Covid-19 guidelines in February this year. Sinha represents Lakhisarai assembly segment.
Later, a privilege motion notice was issued to Ranjan Kumar for his alleged misbehaviour with the Speaker. The director general of police S K Singhal was also summoned and asked for a report.
The matter is still pending with the privilege committee.
The matter was raised in the Assembly by BJP legislator Sanjay Saraogi on Monday, which prompted the CM to engage in a heated discussion with the Speaker. Nitish was so agitated that he said the Speaker was running the House in violation of the Constitution.
Ranjan Kumar was posted in Lakhisarai for over two years and is considered close JDU national chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh. The spar between the Speaker and the CM had led to disruption of the proceedings of budget session of the House for two consecutive days.