New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chose P C Pande - whose role as Ahmedabad police commissioner during the 2002 post-Godhra riots had come under severe critcism - to head the state's police force.
An officer of the 1970 batch, Pande has been picked as the Director General of Gujarat Police.
According to an official in the Home Ministry, Pande will take charge from AK Bhargava on May 1 as the senior-most officer in line for the post.
He will continue to hold charge as additional director-general heading the anti-corruption bureau.
The state police's image took a beating under Pande's command during the Naroda Patia and Gulbarg Society massacres in the aftermath of the Godhra riots.
Nearly 500 persons were killed in the area under his jurisdiction.
Pande was severely criticised by rights groups for not curbing the clashes he was Ahmedabad police commissioner.
He was later deputed to the Central Bureau of Investigation in New Delhi. Pande was always seen as an upright officer. However, during the 2002 riots in Ahmedabad, where rioters ran amok even in presence of the police force, he was alleged of having acted under influence of the politicians.
Pande was removed from Ahmedabad in May 2002 to the obscure post of additional DGP (armed units) and then as ADGP, administration, till he was deputed to CBI as additional director (special crimes) in February 2004.
It was believed that then deputy prime minister L K Advani and then Union minister of state for home Harin Pathak wanted him at the Centre. But then came the change of regime at the Centre with the Congress-led UPA assuming power. This adversely affected Pande's fortunes.
Incidentally, the new police hierarchy in the state will have the same combine that occupied the top posts in Ahmedabad during the 2002 riots.
While Pande will be the DGP, the then Inspector General of Police Shivanand Jha will now become Home Secretary and MK Tandon will be the additional DGP.
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