ECI removes Trinamool legislator's husband from Kolkata Police post

Kolkata: The Election Commission on Tuesday directed the West Bengal government to immediately transfer Indian Police Service officer Soumya Roy from his current post as Kolkata Police's Deputy Commissioner, Southwest division, with immediate effect.

Insiders from the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that the commission has also directed that Roy, the husband of actress-turned-politician and Trinamool Congress legislator from Sonarpur-Dakshin Assembly constituency Arundhuti Maitra a.k.a Lovely Maitra, should not be allotted any election-related duty.

The communication reached the office of the West Bengal CEO on Tuesday afternoon and the EC has sought that the government submit, by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the names of three IPS officials, from which it will select Roy’s replacement.

Roy was also removed from his post by the EC before the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. The Superintendent of Police, Howrah Rural, then, his name figured in controversy following the mysterious death of a student leader at Amta in the district that year.