MHA gives extension to advisor, 5 days later withdraws

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has curtailed the services of its advisor R K Mitra without providing any reasons, five days after giving him an extension.

Though there was no official word on this, sources indicated that officers in paramilitary forces have been accusing Mitra of favouring IPS officers over them in service-related matters.

Mitra was appointed an advisor in the MHA after he retired as Joint Secretary in March last year when Rajnath Singh was Home Minister and was given an extension on September 19.

However, an official order issued on Monday said, "this ministry's order of even number dated September 19, 2019, regarding extension of engagement of RK Mitra as an advisor in the Ministry of Home Affairs, stands withdrawn. Accordingly, the period of engagement of RK Mitra as an advisor in the ministry will cease to exist on September 30, 2019."

Mitra was handling the Police-II division in the MHA, which deals with paramilitary forces. As Joint Secretary too, he was handling the same portfolio.

His wife had contested as BJP candidate from West Bengal's Malda-South constituency in 2019 Lok Sabha polls but lost to Congress' Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury. However, she had contested as a Trinamool Congress candidate in South Delhi Lok Sabha seat in 2014.

In March this year, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee alleged that Mitra was influencing the deployment of the central forces in Bengal to help the BJP.

"Day before yesterday (March 25), a woman has been nominated by the BJP in Malda South seat. I do not want to name her. Her husband is also a retired officer. He is monitoring the deployment of all the central forces sitting in the Home Ministry. He is briefing the force about favouring the BJP and working against the Trinamool Congress," she had alleged.