Big B’s police guard ‘compulsorily retired’ from Mumbai police force

Action against 47-year-old Shinde, who has been working for Bachchan since 2015, followed allegations that he had set up a private agency of security guards on the side, which was servicing big-ticket celebrities. Shinde had formed the company without seeking permission from the department, in violation of service rules

Mumbai: Filmstar Amitabh Bachchan’s steady police guard of seven years, head constable Jitendra Shinde, was “compulsorily retired” from Mumbai police force on Wednesday.

Jitendra Shinde (in black, left), seen here with Amitabh Bachchan in a file picture from 2019. (HT Photo)

Action against 47-year-old Shinde, who has been working for Bachchan since 2015, followed allegations that he had set up a private agency of security guards on the side, which was servicing big-ticket celebrities. Shinde had formed the company without seeking permission from the department, in violation of service rules.

A departmental proceeding was initiated against him in 2021, following which Shinde was transferred to DB Marg police station, in south Mumbai, from his parent branch, Protection and Security Department. “The department provides police security cover to public figures, and Bachchan was given X-category security which comprised two constables working the day and night shifts,” said an officer.

Shinde was transferred when the then police commissioner Hemant Nagrale learnt that that the he had overstayed in his post – a constable should be posted at one station for five years, while Shinde was on his sixth year with the veteran superstar.

There were also unverified reports that the policeman was earning around ₹1.5 crore per annum from providing private security cover to other filmstars. When reports about his earnings, way over what even senior government officers can dream of, surfaced in the media, Nagrale asked additional commissioner of police, South Region, Dilip Sawant to set up an inquiry.

“The inquiry revealed that after working for Bachchan for some years, he used his connections to form a company of security guards under his wife’s name. He was providing private security cover to several celebrities in Mumbai and some others as well. He had also accepted the remunerations in his personal bank account,” said a police officer.

The officer added that the head constable had also travelled out of India – sometimes with the actor and sometimes individually. “We have found six such entries of his travels to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Malta and Singapore without prior permission from the department. This is again a violation of service conditions,” he said.

Another breach was purchase and sale of properties several times sans permission from the department.

“We gave him a show cause notice earlier this month and after receiving his answer, which was unsatisfactory, decided to compulsorily retire him. He has served in the police department for 27 years,” said the police officer.

HT reached out to Shinde to hear his side of the story but he was unavailable for comment.