A wave of transfers has swept through the Mumbai Police Department, with 15 Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)-rank officers being reassigned on Friday. The orders were issued by Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, signaling a significant reshuffle within the force.
DCP Vijaykant Sagar was appointed to head Zone 7 in the eastern suburbs, while Vivek Pansare took charge of the Crime Branch’s Enforcement division. Pradeep Sawant was tasked with leading the Traffic (East) department. Other key transfers include Navnath Dhavale as DCP Zone 6, Ragsudha R as DCP Zone 4, Dattatray Kamble as DCP Zone 3, Nitin Pawar as DCP Headquarters -2, Mangesh Shinde as DCP Special Task Force (EOW), Purushottam Karad as DCP Special Branch, Mahesh Chimte as DCP Protection, and Krishnakant Upadhyay as DCP Headquarters – 1. Sudhakar Pathare was assigned to the Port Zone, Sachin Gunjal took charge of Zone -10, Deepali Dhate was appointed as DCP Security, and Nimit Goyal was posted as DCP Local Arms at Kalina.
Adding another layer of complexity, DCP Goyal, who was previously stationed in Nagpur, has reportedly resigned from service. While the official said the final decision on his resignation would be made by the state government, it raises further questions about the motivations behind the transfers.
This recent reshuffle comes on the heels of a larger movement of police officers earlier this month. A Times of India report revealed that a total of 116 police personnel, including an additional commissioner of police, three DCPs, two ACPs, and 111 police inspectors, were transferred by the state government. The move was directly attributed to a directive from the Election Commission of India (ECI), which sought to ensure the impartiality of police officers ahead of the upcoming state elections. The ECI had reprimanded the Maharashtra government for allowing officers to serve more than three years in Mumbai prior to the announcement of election dates.
The state government’s attempt to secure exemptions for some police officers, citing personal issues, was ultimately rejected by the ECI. This echoes a similar situation during the Lok Sabha elections, where the government had initially succeeded in exempting numerous officers from transfers. However, the ECI’s stance this time appears to be more stringent.
It is worth noting that earlier in August, the Maharashtra government had already implemented transfers involving 16 Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police-rank officers, including the prominent officer Datta Nalawade. The latest round of transfers underscores the pressure on the Maharashtra government to comply with the ECI’s directives and ensure a level playing field for the upcoming state elections.
