Who is former Mumbai top cop Sanjay Pandey, now in Congress?

Pandey, who had toyed with the thought of contesting polls successful the aboriginal 2000s earlier yet being convinced against it, was seen to beryllium adjacent to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), particularly the Shiv Sena (UBT), nether whose tenure helium was made Maharashtra Director-General of Police (DGP) successful 2021 and subsequently Mumbai Commissioner successful February the pursuing year.

The 62-year-old Pandey, who was touted to contention the Versova Assembly spot – which has a important colonisation of northbound Indians – successful the upcoming polls arsenic an Independent, had besides expressed his willingness to contention the caller Lok Sabha polls but decided against it for reasons unknown.

In 1994, Pandey had arrested BJP leader, precocious Gopinath Munde successful transportation with disturbing instrumentality and order. (Express Archives)

The erstwhile Mumbai apical cop, who grabbed the spotlight a fewer times portion being relegated to the sidelines often, archetypal won praise during his relation arsenic further assistance and past DCP (Zone VIII) astatine Dharavi successful the aftermath of the Bombay riots of 1992-93. He was known to person taken a pugnacious basal against the past agreed and assertive Shiv Sena, whose splinter portion would propel him to apical posts astir 3 decades later.

“The authorities was truthful impressed with him (in Dharavi) that helium was fixed complaint of the portion though helium initially worked determination arsenic an further help,” an IPS serviceman said.

In 1994, Pandey had arrested BJP leader, precocious Gopinath Munde successful transportation with disturbing instrumentality and order. His beingness successful Dharavi, wherever the occupation of amerciable parking was erstwhile rampant, would punctual cab drivers to wide the area.

Pandey had managed to physique specified a bully rapport with the radical of Dharavi that locals held a procession seeking the revocation of his transfer. “Even today, radical retrieve him arsenic Dharavi waale Pandeyji,” the serviceman said.

A fewer judge it was this popularity successful Dharavi – the stronghold of Mumbai Congress main Varsha Gaikwad, who inducted him into the enactment – whitethorn person played a relation successful him being inducted successful the expansive aged enactment contempt his perceived closeness to the Shiv Sena (UBT).

As DCP of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) successful 1998, the erstwhile apical bull investigated the politically-sensitive cobbler scam but was transferred to Jalna mid-way. He aboriginal was lawman centrally and was attached to the Prime Minister’s information unit.

Disillusioned with the constabulary unit and to marque “better use” of his machine subject degree, Pandey resigned from work successful 2000 and went connected to enactment successful the backstage sector. However, helium joined the constabulary unit a twelvemonth aboriginal aft the authorities refused to judge his resignation.

He successfully moved tribunal arsenic helium was kept successful compulsory waiting by the authorities but was relegated to the sidelines earlier being thrust into the spotlight erstwhile helium was appointed Maharashtra DGP and Mumbai Police Commissioner. Many successful the BJP consciousness his elevation was an denotation of his closeness to the MVA arsenic it was successful stark opposition to his estimation arsenic an upright serviceman whose no-nonsense attack had resulted successful governmental parties keeping him distant from enforcement postings.

His tenures arsenic DGP and Mumbai constabulary main were mixed bags with his pro-constabulary and pro-citizen initiatives receiving praise portion immoderate of his decisions came nether flak. While for his inaugural to adjacent vehicular postulation connected the north-bound roadworthy of Marine Drive (till the Marine Lines flyover) each Sunday till 10 americium to alteration radical to travel retired connected the streets was hailed, his determination to nonstop constabulary stations to question support from DCPs earlier registering cases of intersexual harassment against children came nether fire.

Pandey’s lowest constituent came successful July 2022 aft helium was arrested by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) successful transportation with the NSE telephone tapping case. He was granted bail 5 months aboriginal by the Delhi High Court.