Public memory is short, and perhaps not many will recall that on Oct 25, 1998, about a week after Diwali, Pachnanda had led a police force that dragged Banerjee from South Kolkata's Bedi Bhawan, leading to road and rail obstruction by the Trinamool supremo's loyalists.
It was after that protest that Banerjee made the stunning "bite" allegation.
The IPS officer was left defending himself: "Do I look like a dog?" he asked media people.
It came as something of a surprise that Banerjee decided to continue with Pachnanda as the top cop of the eastern metropolis on coming to power in May 2011. The 1983 batch police officer was appointed to the coveted post two months earlier.
With Banerjee sworn in as chief minister, speculation was rife that Pachnanda would be shown the door.
On the contrary, the two struck up a good professional rapport.
Banerjee would appreciate Pachnanda in public, and call on him to follow up on her promises. She would, on occasion, ask him to endorse her claims of the government's achievements.
