Kolkata, Mar 14: Director Security Vivek Sahay and Purba Medinipur's Superintendent of Police Pravin Prakash were suspended on Sunday over the incident in Nandigram in which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was injured, the Election Commission said.

District Magistrate Vibhu Goel was also removed over the incident and transferred to a non-election post, it said.

The decisions come following a meeting of the EC over the report submitted by West Bengal chief secretary and the joint report by special general observers Ajay Nayak and Vivek Dube over the incident that happened on March 10, an official statement said.

"After going through the reports the commission decided that Vivek Sahay IPS, Director Security shall be removed from the post of the Director Security and be placed under suspension immediately. The charges must be framed against him within a week for grossly failing in discharge of his primary duty as Director Security to protect the Z+ protectee," it said.

The chief secretary, in consultation with the director-general of police, is authorised to decide on the new Director Security immediately, the EC said.

"Smita Pandey be posted immediately as DM and DEO, Purba Medinipur in place of Vibhu Goel who shall be transferred to a non-election post. Pravin Prakash, SP Purba Medinipur shall also be placed under suspension immediately and charges shall be framed against him for major failure of bandobast," the statement said.

Sunil Kumar Yadav was made the new SP of Purba Medinipur.

"Chief Secretary shall ensure that the investigation of Nandigram Case is completed and consequential action is taken as per law in next 15 days. Report in this regard shall be sent to the Commission by 31st march 2021," the EC said.

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Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.

Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.

Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.

An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.

The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.

A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.

Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."

"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.

"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.

A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.