Delhi Police Chief BS Bassi Dropped From List For Key Post Amid JNU Row

New Delhi: Controversial Delhi Police Chief BS Bassi has been removed by the government from the list of contenders for a senior role in the country's top anti-graft agency, because of strong opposition by the Congress, sources said today. 

The government had shortlisted Mr Bassi for the Central Information Commission, which has three vacancies for Commissioner. He retires from the Delhi Police at the end of this month and had applied for the post of Information Commissioner.

Mr Bassi told NDTV, "The decision doesn't bother me at all."

The committee that appoints Information Commissioners is headed by the Prime Minister, and includes the Congress Leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Mr Bassi's tenure as the Delhi Police boss saw him in perpetual hostility with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who accused him of operating as "a BJP agent" who was committed to undermining the Delhi government upon the orders of the Centre.

Over the last few days, Mr Bassi has played a prime role in the controversy over the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, a 28-year-old student at Jawaharalal Nehru Univeristy of JNU.  Mr Kumar was arrested on sedition charges for allegedly shouting incendiary remarks at a university event. The government and Mr Bassi both claim evidence that Mr Kumar is anti-India, a charge the student denies.

Twice this week, a pack of lawyers unleashed violence upon journalists and Mr Kumar's supporters at court hearings, with the police giving them a free run. Mr Kumar was kicked and punched on his way into court on Wednesday minutes after lawyers defied a Supreme Court ban on protests at the lower court.

As the televised violence triggered the Supreme Court to rush over senior lawyers to investigate, Mr Bassi said the situation "was not out of hand". Stones were hurled at both reporters and the lawyers deputed by the Supreme Court.