Amitabh Gupta who allegedly gave permission to Wadhawans' "Lockdown Picnic" lands top post

IPS officer Amitabh Gupta, who allegedly gave permission letter to the Wadhawan family to travel from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar amid the has been appointed police chief of Pune city.

Amitabh Gupta was the Maharashtra Principal Secretary (Special) in the Home Department, when the Wadhawans - promoters of the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) - went for a "lockdown picnic" to Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai in April, days after the country went into a shutdown to fight the coronavirus.

His appointment to new post has attracted attention in the massive shuffle of police officers in Maharashtra; 50 top officers have been shifted in the shuffle that had been due since July.

Amitabh Gupta was sent on compulsory leave after his facilitation letter emerged. He wrote that the group was "well-known to me as they are my family friends and traveling from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar for a family emergency" and listed the name of each traveler.

Amitabh Gupta resumed duties in May after he was cleared after an inquiry wa conducted by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Finance, Manoj Saunik. 

Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan are currently in jail.