Who Will Be Maharashtra’s Next DGP? 7 IPS Officers Shortlisted, Including NIA Chief; UPSC To Finalise 3 Names

Mumbai: With Maharashtra’s Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla set to retire on December 31, the state home department has begun the process of appointing her successor. Seven senior IPS officers have been shortlisted and their names have been forwarded to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which will select three finalists. The state government will then choose one among them to lead the police force.

NIA Chief Among Shortlisted Officers

According to a Hindustan Times report, the shortlisted officers include NIA chief Sadanand Date, DGP (Legal and Technical) Sanjay Verma, Commandant General of Home Guards Ritesh Kumar, DGP (Anti-Corruption Bureau) Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, Director General (State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation) Archana Tyagi, Civil Defence Director Sanjeev Kumar and DG (Government Railway Police) Prashant Burde.

Also Watch:

NIA Chief Sadanand Date Among Front-runners

Among them, Sadanand Date, a 1990-batch officer known for his valour during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is the senior-most and a leading contender. Currently heading the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Date is due to retire in December 2026, giving him a potential two-year tenure as DGP if selected. However, his appointment would require the Centre’s approval for repatriation from his current role, a request yet to be made by the state.

Notably missing from the list is Amitabh Gupta, a 1992-batch IPS officer currently serving on central deputation with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Despite his seniority, Gupta has not been promoted beyond the rank of Inspector General, unlike some of his juniors. When contacted by HT, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) I.S. Chahal refused to comment, citing the confidentiality of the process.

About Rashmi Shukla

Rashmi Shukla, who belongs to the 1988 IPS batch, was appointed as Maharashtra’s top cop by the Mahayuti government and given a two-year term. Over her long career, Shukla has been at the centre of political controversies, particularly during and after her tenure as State Intelligence Department (SID) commissioner under then CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Following the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s rise in 2019, she was shifted to a non-executive civil defence role and later moved to central deputation, serving as ADG, CRPF and DG, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). In 2022, she faced multiple FIRs over alleged phone-tapping, filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and NCP leader Eknath Khadse, though these were later closed after the BJP-led Mahayuti returned to power, clearing the path for her comeback as DGP.

Meanwhile, the state is also preparing for a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle. Rajesh Aggarwal, a 1989-batch IAS officer currently with the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, is being repatriated to replace Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar, whose extended tenure ends this month.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/