As election date is inching close for Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik, who is a nominee by the ruling BJD, will face a different fight unlike the ones he faced during his professional career, when he had to fight dreaded criminals, scamsters and terrorists.
His transformation from a super-cop to a humble people’s servant is expected to be welcome by the voters of Bhubaneswar.
Patnaik is revered as one of the most dynamic and respected IPS officers of the Maharashtra cadre. He retired on September 30, 2015 after a distinguished career in the Maharashtra Police spanning over 36 years in service. He is a recipient of the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2003 and the Indian Police Medal for meritorious services in 1994. Known for his integrity and fearlessness, Patnaik is the first and only Odia IPS officer to hold the post of Police Commissioner of Mumbai.
Patnaik was born on September 8, 1955 in Bhubaneswar. He attended Mayo College, Ajmer on scholarship. He is a keen sportsman and distinguished himself in the field of football and boxing during his time at Mayo College. He worked with the State Bank of India for a period of approximately two years prior to joining the Indian Police Service in 1979. Patnaik is married to Vidhurita with whom he has two children, Chirantan and Tanmay. He is a Trustee of the Konark Cancer Foundation and president of the Mayo College Alumni Mumbai Chapter.
Patnaik is currently the Chairman of Odisha’s State Youth Welfare Board, the Biju Yuva Vahini and has been accorded the rank and status of Minister of State by the Odisha State Government. Patnaik was inducted into the BJD by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik last year.
Patnaik has represented India in such International forums as Interpol, Lyons (France) and has participated in anti-money laundering workshops in Tokyo, Japan. He was a member of a high-level team to London in September 2011, where he interacted with Scotland Yard and number of reputed professionals, so as to chart out a comprehensive CCTV cover project for Mumbai City. He also led a high level team of Indian Police Officers to Los Angeles from September 23, 2011 to October 3, 2011, for extensive training with the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in counter terrorism techniques.
As DCP Zone VII, he was a critical member of the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast team and was also instrumental in the largest ever seizure of RDX, to the tune of 1,500 kg at Mumbra the same year.
He went on deputation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in March 1994 and was assigned the critical charge of supervising investigations into the multi-crore Harshad Mehta security scam. As DIG, CBI, he headed the Bank Security and Fraud Cell, a Central Unit of the CBI, which was concerned with the investigation into complicated and mega bank scam cases.
