Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh has resigned from the Indian Police Service or IPS and is said to be prepping to contest the general elections due by May.
The 59-year-old top cop confirmed that he has sought retirement from the police. “So far I worked for a limited jurisdiction, for Mumbai Police, for Mumbai city. Now I would like to expand my area of operation and I would like to devote my time and my energy for social harmony, national reconstruction and world peace.”
Mr Singh would not say which party he will join, but there is strong buzz that he could contest the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket. Senior BJP leaders from Maharashtra, however, say that they have no information about a ticket from Mumbai being offered to Mr Singh.
The 1980 batch IPS officer belongs to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and there is speculation that he could contest from there. Media reports also said that he had an offer from the Aam Aadmi Party.
To reporters he would only say this morning, “I have not decided which party I should join. Once I decide, I will let you know.”
Mr Singh is the first serving Mumbai police commissioner to resign. He was due to retire in 2015.
He is follower of Baba Ramdev and when he was Pune Police Commissioner, his office featured a big picture of him with the yoga teacher. Baba Ramdev supports the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Mr Singh is a post-graduate in chemistry and also has an MBA from Australia and a PhD in Public Administration.
He has received several police awards, including a special service medal for extraordinary work in the Naxal-hit areas of Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.