Hemant Nagrale takes additional charge as director general of police of Maharashtra

Nagrale replaced Subodh Kumar Jaiswal who was appointed as the head of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Hemant Nagrale, director general (legal and technical), has been given additional charge of the director general of police (DGP) of Maharashtra after the incumbent Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was appointed as the head of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Newly appointed Maharashtra DGP Hemant Nagrale (left) takes charge from outgoing DGP Subodh Jaiswal at DG Office in Mumbai on Thursday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Nagrale, a 1987-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, along with 1988-batch officers Param Bir Singh and Rashmi Shukla, are believed to be the top contenders for the post.

In an order issued by the state home department on Thursday, the government has stated that Jaiswal, a 1985-batch IPS officer, has been relieved from the responsibility to take up the new job in the Central agency. “Hemant Nagrale has been appointed with additional charge to the post fallen vacant after Jaiswal’s new appointment,” the order stated.

The state government has begun the process to appoint a new DGP as per the Supreme Court’s directions in the Prakash Singh case.

An official from the home department said Nagrale is most likely to be appointed as DGP after completing the procedure. “By picking Nagrale for the additional charge over senior-most DG Sanjay Pandey (1986-batch), political bosses have hinted at their intention. Pandey is unlikely to be considered for the post because of his slew of litigations against the government over the years. The proposal to the Central government for the appointment will be sent soon,” the officer added requesting anonymity.

Jaiswal was appointed as the director general of CISF on December 30 in an order issued by the department of personnel and training of the Central government.