UPSC asks state what’s the urgency to appoint a new DGP

UPSC seeks clarification from Maharashtra government on proposal to appoint new DGP; questions need to change current state police chief before end of term.

Mumbai: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) which is currently considering a proposal to appoint a new Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra has sought some clarifications from the state government and questioned the need to change the current state police chief before the end of his term. The incumbent DGP Rajnish Seth who will retire on December 31, was selected by the state government as the chairperson of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) in early October. According to insiders in the ruling alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP (Ajit faction), and BJP, Seth was given the option of the MPSC to create a vacancy for senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, who was mired in controversy over allegations of tapping phones of politicians during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime.

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Accordingly, the state government sent a proposal to the UPSC to appoint a new DGP. The UPSC now will prepare a panel of three officers fit to be DGP post and send it back to the state to select one from them but it has sought some clarification.

Shukla, an IPS officer of the 1988 batch is senior to the present DGP Rajnish Seth. At present, she is the DGP of the Sashastra Seema Bal. She had faced a slew of cases and she was accused of phone tapping while she was Commissioner of Intelligence of Maharashtra. Shukla was also wanted in these cases and moved the judiciary for relief. Her statements were recorded during the MVA and the then government consisting of the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP and Congress accused her of being close to BJP. The UPSC has also asked about the criminal record she faced.

The list being sent for empanelment of officers has names of DG rank officers like Rashmi Shukla, Police housing corporation chief Sandeep Bishnoi. Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, Railway police DG Pradnya Sarvade, Thane police commissioner Jaijeet Singh, ATS chief Sadanand Date, NIA additional director Atulchandra Kulkarni and state security corporation DG Bipin Kumar Singh.

Shukla is due to retire in June 2024, but if she becomes the DGP, she can get a stipulated two year term. Phansalkar will retire in April 2025. These are two officers who can make it to the DGP.

Sources in the state government said that since there are elections due, there is a high chance of the state government appointing Shukla. Her vigilance report is now clear. The second choice can be Phansalkar but if he is promoted, then the state can downgrade the post of police commissioner Mumbai so that an officer of additional DG rank can be accommodated there. The state can possibly appoint special commissioner Deven Bharti to head Mumbai police or get another officer.

The state has responded to the UPSC that a vacancy was created as Seth was appointed in MPSC and also replied on charges faced by Shukla and now she has a vigilance clearance. All cases against her are now closed.