Rajkumar Pandian (RK Pandian) is an Indian Police Service officer. He came to attention over claims in the death of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. From 2016 he was Inspector-general of police in Junagadh, even while the Sohrabuddin case was in courts. In 2018 the Bombay High Court upheld his discharge from this case.
Sohrabuddin case
In 2007 Rajnish Rai arrested Pandian along with D G Vanzara and Dinesh M N related to the death of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. In March 2014 Pandian got bail after having been in prison for seven years since his 2007 arrest.
In April 2013 The Hindu reported that Pandian was found to be at his home during the time when he was supposed to be incarcerated. The explanation seemed to be that Pandian was getting undisclosed and favored treatment to leave the jail.
After 2014
In 2016 Pandian held a position at the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation. Following that position, he took a post as Inspector-general of police in Junagadh. There was consideration in 2017 that he might take a post in the Ahmedabad crime Branch.
In February 2018 Pandian claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation had framed him in the Sohrabuddin case. In 2018 the Bombay High Court upheld Pandian's discharge from the Sohrabuddin case.
In 2019 Pandian arrested cybercriminals who had stolen money from his wife.
In 2019 Pandian expressed interest in reviewing criminal complaints about land disputes.
Comments on police work
In his role as a police officer Pandian has regularly given comment to the media on law enforcement. In 2018 he commented on a violent crime. In 2020 he commented on enforcing COVID-19 quarantine. In December 2020 he commented on the use of CCTV to monitor traffic safety.
References
- ^ Press Trust of India (13 October 2016). "Gujarat: State govt transfers 21 IPS officers, Rajkumar Pandian back in state". The Indian Express.
- ^ Press Trust of India (10 September 2018). "Bombay HC upholds discharge of Vanzara, 4 others in Sohrabuddin case". Hindustan Times.
- Mahurkar, Uday; Parijar, Rohit (7 May 2007). "IPS officers D G Vanzara, R K Pandian arrested in Sohrabuddin's encounter case". India Today.
- Kumar, Devesh (28 March 2014). "Sohrabuddin encounter: suspended Gujarat IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian gets bail". NDTV.
- ^ special correspondent (29 April 2013). "TV shows jailed IPS officer visiting home". The Hindu.
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has generic name (help) - "Rajkumar Pandian likely to head A'bad Crime Branch?". Ahmedabad Mirror. 9 February 2017.
- Press Trust of India (25 February 2018). "Sohrabuddin Case: I Fought Dawood; CBI Framed Me, Says IPS Officer In Court". NDTV.
- Scroll Staff (25 February 2018). "IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian, accused in Sohrabuddin case, claims CBI framed him". Scroll.in.
- DNA Correspondent (21 April 2019). "4 held from UP for duping Surat Range IG's wife of Rs 1.37 lakh". DNA India.
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has generic name (help) - "THE SECRETARIAT: MEA calling Gujarat IAS officer". Ahmedabad Mirror. 29 July 2019.
- Press Trust of India (24 September 2018). "Man stabs 5 during Ganesh immersion procession in Gujarat". Ahmedabad Mirror.
- Jha, Satish (4 April 2020). "Amidst lockdown, two policemen arrested for offering prayer at a mosque in south Gujarat". Deccan Herald.
- "Partying doesn't stop in Surat". Ahmedabad Mirror. 28 December 2020.
- Mehta, Yagnesh Bharat (28 December 2020). "CCTVs to penalize highway traffic violators in Valsad". The Times of India.