Deshdeep Saxena
The primary mandate of the police is to uphold the law, maintain public order, and ensure the safety and security of citizens. But what happens when, under political patronage, the police go wayward and create public disorder? Who then will police the police?
A string of incidents across Madhya Pradesh—where the government was already reeling from controversial remarks by senior ministers and a shameful act on the highway involving a party leader—was made worse by the actions of senior police officials, adding to the troubles of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
Although Yadav took no action against the political leadership, he swiftly moved against the errant officers in uniform.
In a post on X, the CM wrote:
“The Superintendent of Police of Katni and the Superintendent of Police of Datia, and the IG and DIG of Chambal Range have behaved in a manner which is regrettable in public service. For this reason, I have given instructions to remove them with immediate effect.”
What led him to take this action?
Before being removed by the CM, the SP of Katni, Avijeet Ranjan, had already been embroiled in a controversy involving Katni’s City Superintendent of Police, Khyati Mishra; her husband, Shailendra Bihari Sharma, a tehsildar posted in Damoh district; and their family members. Sharma had been filing complaints against Ranjan for several months. Sources claimed that during his two-year stint as SP, he was transferred twice in the past, but the orders could not be executed as Ranjan allegedly enjoyed the patronage of the state BJP president VD Sharma and powerful MLA from Katni Sanjay Pathak .
Though Avijeet was also lauded for his work on crime control in Katni, especially in the rescue of missing women, for the past few months he became controvertial because of the episode that led to his transfer. In March this year, Shaialendra Bihari Sharma “pleaded” with the Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary of the state to protect his family from what he described as the SP’s highhandedness. In a letter to the DGP, Sharma alleged that Ranjan was trying to “break up my family.” He also wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, claiming that his wife Khyati was being blackmailed and threatened by Ranjan.
Sharma further alleged that his father-in-law (Khyati’s father) was summoned to Katni and pressured to end the marriage between him and Khyati.
According to Sharma, Ranjan began harassing his wife in February this year—two years after he was posted as the SP in Katni district.
Amidst the growing controversy, Khyati Mishra was transferred to Amarpatan in Satna. Sharma alleged that while she was packing her belongings from her government accommodation in Katni on May 28, Ranjan sent “his goons dressed in police uniform” to threaten and assault them. He claimed they were then taken to a women’s police station and beaten.
The SP was finally transferred following additional allegations from Sharma that Ranjan had assaulted Khyati and other family members inside the women’s police station after detaining them on May 31. The incident drew widespread media attention, with journalists flocking to the police station. This time, the chief minister acted after videos of the incident went viral in Madhya Pradesh.
However, both Khyati Mishra and Avijeet Ranjan denied the allegations. In fact, Khyati lodged a complaint of her own with the women’s police station in Katni. She stated that while she was packing, it was her husband, Shailendra Sharma, who barged in and “misbehaved with the workers.”
“He threatened to tie my hands and legs and take me to Rewa. My friend who had come to meet me intervened, after which I left and informed my superiors,” she wrote in her complaint.
Ranjan also denied the accusations, telling the media that he was being unnecessarily dragged into a personal dispute between a husband and wife.
Meanwhile, the former SP of Datia, Virendra Mishra—considered close to former Home Minister Narottam Mishra—was also in the spotlight. Although Narottam Mishra lost the last assembly elections, he remains an influential political figure.
On May 31, during the virtual inauguration of Datia Airport by Prime Minister Modi, the IG of Chambal Range, Saxena, and DIG Kumar Saurabh were supervising the event, while SP Mishra was responsible for maintaining law and order. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and BJP MP from Bhind, Sandhya Rai, were also present.
Suddenly, a large group of BJP workers managed to access the area where the dignitaries were gathered. The minister objected to the presence of the crowd, prompting IG Saxena to question SP Mishra. Mishra reportedly replied that the people were supporters of Narottam Mishra. An eyewitness said this led to a heated exchange between the officers—an unseemly public argument.
“It was an ugly scene, in bad taste, never expected from men in khaki on duty,” commented a senior police official in Bhopal.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, sources claimed, had actually wanted to remove both Ranjan and Mishra, but the politicians behind them would let them continue. This time, sources said, the nature of the incidents did not allow the political influence to work.
“These are public servants, and their salaries are paid by taxpayers. They are like fish in a glass aquarium—everyone is watching. When they behave like this, they forget the dignity and integrity of the uniform.”
Meanwhile, remarks by one of the deputy chief ministers—claiming “the army bows down at the PM’s feet”—and a senior minister who called Colonel Sophia Qureshi a “terrorist’s sister” had already embarrassed the government. The indecent act of party member Manoharlal Dhakad on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and recent allegations of a Jabalpur-based party leader running a sex racket have further put the ruling party on the defensive.
While no action has been taken against any of these political figures, the CM has decided to punish the police officers involved.
