Amitabh Gupta takes charge as Pune police commissioner

Senior IPS officer Amitabh Gupta, who had courted a controversy by allegedly facilitating the travel of DHFL scam accused Wadhawan brothers during the lockdown in Maharashtra, on Sunday took charge as the new commissioner of police, Pune.

His new posting had drawn attention when the Maharashtra government on Thursday transferred over 50 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Current Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham has been transferred as additional director general of police (special campaign).

Gupta was Principal Secretary, Home, Maharashtra, when he allegedly facilitated travel for Kapil Wadhawan and his brother Dheeraj Wadhawan--promoters of the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL)--to Mahabaleshwar hill station in Satara district from Mumbai in April, days after a lockdown was imposed to fight the coronavirus.

He was sent on compulsory leave after the travel pass emerged.

When asked about Gupta's new posting, state Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh told reporters here that the government had conducted an inquiry after the controversy.

"IPS officer Amitabh Gupta had made a mistake. Since he is an efficient officer, he was transferred as new commissioner of Pune Police," Deshmukh said.