Mumbai: ADGP Deven Bharti appointed as Special Commissioner of Police

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday appointed Mr Deven Bharti, a 1994 batch IPS officer who is of the rank of additional director general of police (ADGP) and is a close confidante of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as special police commissioner, Greater Mumbai.

“To effectively supervise the working of joint commissioners, which are under the control of the police commissioner, the government was considering creating a post of special police commissioner for Greater Mumbai,” the government said.

This is the first time Mumbai got a special commissioner

“The government has taken a decision and appointed Mr Bharti as the special police commissioner,” it said. This is for the first time in the history of Mumbai Police that the post of special police commissioner’s post has been created.

“The special police commissioner will supervise and control the functioning of the joint commissioners of police,” the government said. Mumbai Police have five joint commissioners who look after law and order, crime, administration, traffic and the Economic Offences Wing.

Congress and NCP criticised Government

The Congress and the NCP criticised the Government for the move. Maharashtra Congress Chief Spokesman Atul Londhe accused Mr Fadnavis, who runs the home department, of establishing a parallel administration with this apointment.

NCP Chief Spokesman Mahesh Tapase said the government should now create a special Governor.

(Inputs from Somendra Sharma and Vishal Singh)