IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Choudhary, currently serving as Superintendent of Police for Community Policing in Rajasthan, has called for the arrest of former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to uncover the truth behind the paper leaks in the state, Indian Express reported.
In an open letter two weeks ago, Choudhary accused Gehlot of vendetta and “mysterious malice” during his tenures as chief minister. On Tuesday, Choudhary, a 2009 batch IPS officer known for his outspoken nature, revealed that his open letter had left some crucial details out.
Following the recent arrest of former Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) member Ramuram Raika, along with Raika’s son and daughter, by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police in connection with the 2021 sub-inspector recruitment exam paper leak, Choudhary took to X to demand the cancellation of the exam. He urged an investigation into the SOG’s additional director general, who was in charge from 2020 to 2023.
In September last year, Choudhary said that he could “clean” the RPSC in just three months if given the opportunity and wrote to Gehlot, requesting to be put in charge of the Commission.
A native of Varanasi, Choudhary has a history of making allegations against Gehlot. In 2013, while Gehlot was Chief Minister, Choudhary claimed he was transferred from his post as Superintendent of Police in Jaisalmer after he looked into history of Ghazi Fakeer, an influential Muslim leader, and filed a case against Fakeer’s son, Saleh Mohammad, who was then a Congress MLA. Choudhary alleged that he was transferred within 48 hours of filing the FIR.
Choudhary further claimed that he was targeted by both Gehlot and his successor, Vasundhara Raje, accusing them of colluding to remove him from service.
In 2015, Choudhary accused the Raje-led government of removing him from his post after he refused to release rioters from the VHP and Bajrang Dal during the 2014 riots in Bundi’s Nainwa and Khanpur, despite pressure from all levels of government. He alleged that he was instructed to “register false cases” against Muslims instead. He made these allegations after the Rajasthan government issued him a chargesheet, accusing him of failing to act promptly to control the riots, the IE report said.
In early 2019, Choudhary was dismissed from service for “grave personal misconduct” over an alleged extramarital affair. However, in May 2021, he was reinstated by the Ministry of Home Affairs following rulings from the Central Administrative Tribunal, the Delhi High Court, and the Supreme Court.
In his open letter, Choudhary said that he had sought a five-minute meeting with Gehlot during his tenure as Chief Minister, but was blocked by those around Gehlot, which led him to write the open letter.
