MHA curtails service of its advisor just days after it gave him extension

The Home Ministry has curtailed abruptly the service of advisor R K Mitra without specifying any reason, sources said on Tuesday.

Mitra was working as advisor in the ministry since his superannuation as Joint Secretary in March 2018 and was given an extension just days earlier on September 19.

"This ministry's order of even number dated September 19, 2019, regarding extension of engagement of RK Mitra as advisor in the ministry of home affairs stands withdrawn. Accordingly, the period of engagement of RK Mitra as advisor in the ministry of home affairs will cease to exist on September 30, 2019," an official order issued on Monday said.

The reason for the curtailment of service of the officer was not known immediately. However, sources said, officers of the paramilitary forces have been alleging that Mitra was favouring IPS officers over them in service related matters.

As advisor, Mitra was handling the Police-II division in the home ministry, looking after the affairs of the paramilitary forces, sources said.

An officer of the central secretariat service, he was the joint secretary handling the same portfolio before his retirement.

Mitra's wife had contested as BJP candidate from West Bengal's Malda-South constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and as Trinamool Congress candidate from South Delhi constituency in 2014.

The Trinamool Congress had lodged a complaint before the Election Commission during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections that Mitra was allegedly trying to influence the deployment of paramilitary forces in his wife's constituency.