Ashutosh Dumbare appointed Thane police commissioner

The present police commissioner of Thane, Jaijeet Singh, has been posted as director-general of the state Anti-Corruption Bureau

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday appointed state intelligence commissioner Ashutosh Dumbare as the police commissioner of Thane. Sources in the government said that chief minister Eknath Shinde, who hails from Thane, and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had several differences on the appointment ever since the proposal was sent to them three weeks ago. For the last few years, Shinde has always had a say in the appointment of officials in Thane.

Ashutosh Dumbare appointed Thane police commissioner

The present police commissioner of Thane, Jaijeet Singh, has been posted as director-general of the state Anti-Corruption Bureau. The post of Thane commissioner is held by an officer of the rank of additional-director general of police. Singh was promoted to DG rank last year but sources said that Shinde asked him to continue as commissioner, and the post of Thane CP was upgraded to the DG rank to keep him in the post. He is slated to retire in April 2024.

Dumbare is, by all accounts, a very sincere officer and has held many positions in the Mumbai police, among them Deputy Commissioner of Zone 5, Additional Commissioner of the central region, Joint Commissioner of police (Crime) and JCP, Economic Offences Wing. He also worked as superintendent of Latur district when he started his career.

Meanwhile, there has been no development on the appointment of the state’s new Director-General of Police. The present DGP has been appointed as chairperson of the State Public Service Commission, and the government is keen to appoint controversial IPS officer Rashmi Shukla in his stead. But sources in the IPS said that Shukla wants to become Mumbai police commissioner. The proposal has been sent to the Union Public Service Commission, which sent back some queries. These have reportedly been answered by the government.