Lucknow/Kolkata: IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, deployed to West Bengal as a police observer from Uttar Pradesh, found himself at the centre of a political storm after a video surfaced on social media showing him warning supporters of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan from the Falta constituency. The clip emerged just a day before voting in the state, drawing sharp condemnation from the Trinamool Congress, with leaders including Mahua Moitra publicly targeting Sharma and even approaching Supreme Court seeking action against him.
But this is far from the first time Sharma has made headlines. Nicknamed “Singham” and known to some as an “encounter specialist,” the officer carries a long and contentious record that dates back years. In 2019, a corruption probe in Gautam Buddha Nagar — carried out by his successor as SSP — named Sharma in an alleged cash-for-posting scam alongside five other IPS officers. A Special Investigation Team subsequently recommended a vigilance inquiry against him, and two FIRs were eventually filed.
The Marriage Case
That same year, a woman named Deepti Sharma claimed to be his wife and alleged that after she filed complaints with the National Women’s Commission, the Allahabad High Court, and the Supreme Court, a non-bailable fraud case was registered against her — which she alleged was done to silence her. Sharma’s camp denied the marriage claim.
Around the same time, Sharma rose to national fame during his posting as Superintendent of Police in Rampur, where he oversaw a high-profile encounter of a man accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl. He was widely celebrated on social media.
Azam Khan’s Nemesis
During his Rampur tenure, Sharma’s unit also filed over 80 cases against Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his family, covering charges ranging from land encroachment to fraud. Most recently, Sharma’s name resurfaced in connection with the Shankaracharya controversy at the Magh Mela, where photographs allegedly showing him alongside the complainant in that case sparked fresh questions about his conduct.
