Even though Delhi Police were under fire from opposition leaders and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Centre on Wednesday asserted that it had no intention of removing the city’s top cop Neeraj Kumar “at this stage’’ when the investigation into the gang-rape of a 23-year-old was on in full-swing.
Talking to reporters after a Union Cabinet meeting, where it was decided that an inquiry commission under retired High Court Judge Usha Mishra would probe the case and suggest safety measures for women in Delhi and the national capital territory, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said it would be “inappropriate’’ to remove Kumar, despite waves of protest against him and the action of the force under him.
“I think this would be totally inappropriate to do at this stage, I think the commissioner is doing his job. If there have been any lapses, we will be looking into it,” he said. In fact, one of the terms of reference for the one-member Usha Mishra Commission of Inquiry is to look into the lapses, if any, on the part of the police.
Chidambaram also noted that Kumar had apologised for the police crackdown on protestors and “I think the first thing that needs to be done is to bring the situation under control.”