Pandey, who had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Police Service a few days back, said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had called him at his residence in the morning and asked him to join the party.

 

He joined the JD-U formally at a function at the party office here in the presence of senior leaders including Cabinet Minister Ashok Chaudhary. Pandey is expecting ticket to contest the October-November Assembly election from his home district Buxar.

 

"Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has given full support during my tenure as the DGP. I am not aware of politics but I know how to reach at people at the last stage of society. I have served the common people all my life and will do the same as a public representative," he said.

 

Pandey came into the limelight in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, after the state police registered an FIR in connection with the actor's death, following a complaint by Rajput's father who lives in Patna. Moreover, he sent a team headed by an IPS officer to Mumbai to probe the case despite the issues of jurisdiction. This had drawn flak from Maharashtra's ruling parties, including the Shiv Sena.

 

He had taken VRS on September 22, just days before the Election Commission announced the dates for the Assembly poll and the model code of conduct was imposed in the state.

 

Since than, Pandey was again targeted by the Shiv Sena, whose leader Sanjay Raut alleging that he had the agenda of using the Sushant case for political mileage.

 

However, Pandey denied all the allegations against him, claiming that he was just helping Sushant's father get justice.