Mumbai CP's post downgraded again from DG to ADG

The state home department seems to playing see-saw with the post of Mumbai police commissioner. Within four months, the post, which was of the additional director general of police (ADG) rank officer, was upgraded to the rank of Director General (DG) and has again been downgraded to the ADG rank.

Last year in September, the then Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria was shunted unceremoniously from the post barely few days before his promotion. Maria was abruptly promoted to the DG rank and was transferred to low profile Home Guards department.

Javed, the then DG Home Guards went on to replace Maria as Mumbai police's head. The Mumbai police commissioner post was upgraded to the DG rank.

On Saturday, the home department stated that the post of Mumbai police commissioner is downgraded to ADG rank.

"The 1982 batch IPS officer DD Padsalgikar has been appointed as the next commissioner of police, Mumbai from January 31 on superannuation of Ahmad Javed and the post of Commissioner of Police, Mumbai stands downgraded to the rank of ADG till further orders," said additional chief secretary (home) KP Bakshi.

Javed, who has been designated as ambassador to Saudi Arabia post retirement, on Saturday morning received an official farewell by the force.

In coming days, a major overhaul is expected in the IPS circles. Moreover, a few officers are likely to get promoted and retire in February.

DG rank officer and current chief of state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) Vijay Kamble is due to retire next month. IPS officer KK Pathak, who is currently Pune police commissioner, is likely to be promoted to director general (DG) rank in February and would retire in March, while additional director general of police (ADGP) rank officer and current Navi Mumbai police commissioner Prabhat Ranjan is likely to be promoted to the rank of DG in March.

There are several ADGP rank officers who might replace Pathak. The officers include current commissioner of state intelligence department (SID) Rashmi Shukla, ATS chief Vivek Phansalkar and joint commissioner of police (Mumbai crime branch) Atulchandra Kulkarni. The ADGP rank officer Sanjay Barve might replace Ranjan.

There are talks in the police circles that Shukla might replace Pathak. If that happens, those in consideration to replace her at SID are officers Vivek Phansalkar, VV Laxminarayan and Atulchandra Kulkarni.

"If Phansalkar replaces Shukla, then Kulkarni might replace Phansalkar at ATS. With Kulkarni's exit, the post of Mumbai crime branch chief can again be downgraded to the rank of inspector general of police (IGP). Those in the race for the post of JCP crime in Mumbai are IGPs Deven Bharti, Brijesh Singh, Niket Kaushik, Vishwas Nangre-Patil, Amitabh Gupta and Prashant Burde," said the official.