Former IPS officer eyes Lok Sabha polls in Rajasthan

Former IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Chaudhary dismissed recently by the state government, Thursday said he would contest the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "I will contest election from one of the Lok Sabha seats in western Rajasthan. I am not going before the people with any big promise or equation but would work with a feeling to keep the nation first. I will work for the women empowerment in western Rajasthan," Chaudhary told reporters at a press conference here.

He also said he has moved the Central Administrative Tribunal challenging the state government's order dismissing him. The CAT has issued notices to the state and the Centre in the matter. The controversial Rajasthan-cadre officer was dismissed on March 6 for allegedly having an extramarital relationship, which, as per his dismissal order, violated rule 3 (1) of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

Forty-four-year-old Chaudhary, who hails from Varanasi, has been the superintendent of police of Jaisalmer between Feb and July 2013 and Bundi between January and September 2014 and had courted controversies during his tenures in both the districts.