Controversial Cop Who Allegedly Enabled ‘Lockdown Picnic” Gets key Post

During lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Amitabh Gupta gave a letter to the Wadhawans, whom he described as “family friends”, to move to their farmhouse in Mahabaleshwar from a guest house in Khandala.

Amitabh Gupta has been given a plum post which has drawn most attention in the massive shuffle of police officers in Maharashtra. He was embroiled in a controversy for granting written permission to the Wadhawans for travel during a nationwide lockdown in April.

Billionaire brothers Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, promoters of the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) – went for a “lockdown picnic” to Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai in April. They were helped by this cop, Amitabh Gupta to travel for which he is supposedly rewarded with a plum post. He has been appointed police chief of Pune city.

Amitabh Gupta, a 1992-batch IPS (Indian Police Service) officer was Principal Secretary, Home Department, and Maharashtra.

It is assumed that over 50 top officers have been shifted in the shuffle that had been due since July, to reward him with this post. Most of the police officers were shuffled in Maharashtra

Amitabh Gupta in a permission letter given to the Wadhwans- wrote that the group was “well-known to me as they are my family friends and traveling from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar for a family emergency” and listed the name of each traveler. However, he was sent on compulsory leave after his facilitation letter emerged.

The Wadhwans and their families, cooks and helpers, drove 180 km from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar in two Range Rovers and three Fortuners.

An inquiry panel headed by senior IAS officer Manoj Saunik was put up, but he has come out clean and was cleared of all the allegations against him. Amitabh Gupta resumed duties in May. He is now appointed as Pune Police Commissioner.

Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan were taken into custody in Mahabaleshwar soon after their travel was revealed. They are being investigated for fraud and money-laundering charges and are in the jail presently.

It is said that Amitabh Gupta has been rewarded with a plum post by the same people. Pune is seen as a stronghold of Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a member of the state’s ruling coalition. But the opposition BJP, is not happy with the recent developments and has alleged that Amitabh Gupta helped the Wadhawans on the orders of certain politicians.

During lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Amitabh Gupta gave a letter to the Wadhawans, whom he described as “family friends”, to move to their farmhouse in Mahabaleshwar from a guest house in Khandala.

Amitabh Gupta has been given a plum post which has drawn most attention in the massive shuffle of police officers in Maharashtra. He was embroiled in a controversy for granting written permission to the Wadhawans for travel during a nationwide lockdown in April.

Billionaire brothers Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, promoters of the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) – went for a “lockdown picnic” to Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai in April. They were helped by this cop, Amitabh Gupta to travel for which he is supposedly rewarded with a plum post. He has been appointed police chief of Pune city.

Amitabh Gupta, a 1992-batch IPS (Indian Police Service) officer was Principal Secretary, Home Department, and Maharashtra.

It is assumed that over 50 top officers have been shifted in the shuffle that had been due since July, to reward him with this post. Most of the police officers were shuffled in Maharashtra

Amitabh Gupta in a permission letter given to the Wadhwans- wrote that the group was “well-known to me as they are my family friends and traveling from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar for a family emergency” and listed the name of each traveler. However, he was sent on compulsory leave after his facilitation letter emerged.

The Wadhwans and their families, cooks and helpers, drove 180 km from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar in two Range Rovers and three Fortuners.

An inquiry panel headed by senior IAS officer Manoj Saunik was put up, but he has come out clean and was cleared of all the allegations against him. Amitabh Gupta resumed duties in May. He is now appointed as Pune Police Commissioner.

Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan were taken into custody in Mahabaleshwar soon after their travel was revealed. They are being investigated for fraud and money-laundering charges and are in the jail presently.

It is said that Amitabh Gupta has been rewarded with a plum post by the same people. Pune is seen as a stronghold of Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a member of the state’s ruling coalition. But the opposition BJP, is not happy with the recent developments and has alleged that Amitabh Gupta helped the Wadhawans on the orders of certain politicians.

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