Shivanandan, who is to retire on Feb. 28, told media after a police function, “Honestly, the police do not have the power to raid and arrest the oil and sand mafia, but yet the police along with the revenue department officials raided suspected adulterators, seized adulterated stock and arrested several criminals. But then the truth is that all the police action was nothing but farce.”

His comments followed the spate of raids on this mafia after the barbaric murder of Additional Collector Yeshwant Sonawane in Manmad town of Nashik district last month.

Sonawane was burned alive allegedly by the oil mafia and his murder triggered widespread outrage across the country, compelling the government to launch statewide raids.

“In fact, all the police action and crackdown on the mafia was just to satisfy the media. Also it is the revenue department that is responsible and has the powers to act against the oil and sand mafia,” Shivanandan said, causing discomfort to the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led Democratic Front government.

The state top cop said: “An optimist would say the glass is half full, while a pessimist would say the glass is half empty. But the media always highlight the half empty part and deliberately neglect the partially full glass. If the media highlighted the half full glass, it would raise the morale of the people.”

Senior Shiv Sena Member of Parliament from Aurangabad, Chandrakant Khaire, commenting on Shivanandan’s disclosure, said, “If the DGP was speaking the truth then state Home Minister R.R. Patil has a duty to explain to the people why he had ordered the crackdown on the mafia. It is a serious issue if the top cop of the state states that the police had launched the crackdown on the mafia just to satisfy the media.”

Meanwhile, Indian Police Service (IPS-1976) officer Ajit Parasnis is set to take over as the new DGP of the state. Parasnis is the son of veteran former Assistant Commissioner of Police Vasantrao Parasnis. A major reshuffle is also expected in the police ranks in first week of March.