The Bengal government on Wednesday removed CID chief R. Rajasekaran and reassigned him to the post of the less-important additional director-general (training) in the police administration.

The decision came less than a fortnight after chief minister Mamata Banerjee's public announcement of a "complete overhaul" of the CID.

Rajasekaran, who had been posted as the CID's ADG, was one of four senior police officers shunted from their current positions through an order issued on Wednesday afternoon.

However, the state government did not appoint a new CID chief until late in the evening.

The order to remove the CID head took on a more political tone than administrative, amid the buzz that the move was part of Mamata's strategy to assert "sole control" over the party and the administration.

During a meeting with senior ministers and government officials on November 21, Mamata announced in a live-streamed address that she would completely overhaul the CID.

She accused a section of lower-level police officers of being involved in smuggling minerals such as sand, stones and coal. She also director-general (DG) Rajeev Kumar to identify police officers accused of various charges after a thorough probe.

"If the charges are genuine, you (DG) take strong action. No one will stop you. I will not listen to anyone. I won’t even listen to myself. So, who are you afraid of?" Mamata said on November 21.

Some within the TMC and the police speculated that the chief minister’s remarks were aimed at a specific person.

"Was that 'someone' the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee? We don’t know, but developments in the party’s internal politics after the administrative meeting certainly raised this question," said a Trinamool insider.

The Opposition always alleged that the police department was being "controlled" by instructions of the party's No. 2, Abhishek. A senior police officer also claimed that the removal of the CID chief was the result of the recent "rift" between Mamata and her nephew.

Mamata made her stance on "complete control" clear during a TMC national executive committee meeting on November 25, in the presence of Abhishek, where she formed several committees with names of the party's old guard. Political control, including overseeing activities in both Houses of Parliament, was given to those not closely aligned with Abhishek.

She reaffirmed her position as the party’s final authority, instructing MLAs to strictly follow her directives in a meeting inside the Bengal Assembly on Monday.

On Wednesday, BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar wondered if the CID head's removal was linked to the "pishi-bhaipo" conflict.

"The police force, which was previously controlled to suppress opposition voices and cover up widespread corruption in the state, had been under the influence of the 'Prince of Camac Street'. However, by transferring officers close to the prince, the Chief Minister is asserting her absolute control over the party and the administration," Majumdar wrote on X.

"After the recent transfer of the head of Kolkata Police's intelligence wing, Mamata has now replaced the state's intelligence chief as well. How much more visible will the internal conflict within the Banerjee family become?" he asked.

The CPM rejected the theory of a "pishi-bhaipo" rift, arguing that Mamata and Abhishek were competing for proximity to the BJP.

Trinamool leaders dismissed the transfer order as routine, devoid of political colour.

"Transfers are routine.... There should be no controversy or narrative surrounding this...," said TMC leader Kunal Ghosh.

Some police officers claimed Mamata was unhappy with the CID for its failure to assess the impact of the RG Kar rape and murder on August 9 and the hospital vandalism a few days later.