In a notable administrative shake-up, the Haryana Government has transferred Sonepat Police Commissioner Nazneen Bhasin, assigning the additional charge to ADGP Mamta Singh. The move follows allegations that Bhasin failed to provide the required police escort to Haryana State Commission for Women (HSCW) Chairperson Renu Bhatia during her official visit to Ashoka University in Rai on Thursday.
Bhatia had visited the university to investigate controversial social media remarks made by Assistant Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad concerning ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s military retaliation after a terror attack in Pahalgam.
According to Bhatia, despite advance notice, the Commission team waited over two hours at the PWD rest house in Rai for a police escort that never arrived. “This wasn’t a private visit—it was a matter of national and social sensitivity. Yet, police did not follow protocol,” she told The Tribune.
Bhatia said formal communication had been made in advance with the Director General of Police, Sonepat Police Commissioner, and the Deputy Commissioner. The request was for the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Women’s Police Station to accompany the team.
“The SHO came to the rest house but claimed she had no orders to go further. The ACP did not turn up at all,” Bhatia said. “I called the Commissioner, but her response was unsatisfactory. Given the seriousness of the issue, I escalated the matter to higher authorities. The transfer followed.”
Commissioner Nazneen Bhasin could not be reached for comment. However, police officials have termed her transfer a routine administrative reshuffle.
The controversy arose from the Commission’s suo motu cognisance of alleged statements made by Professor Mahmudabad about India’s military operation, which went viral on social media. He was summoned to appear before the Commission on May 14 but reportedly failed to do so. Chairperson Bhatia then personally visited the university, yet the professor did not appear.
Subsequently, the Commission recommended an FIR against Mahmudabad and submitted a preliminary inquiry report. Rai police have since registered a case and launched an investigation.
