Blue eyed boy of Maharashtra Deputy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, senior IPS additional Director General of Police Deven Bharati is back in the reckoning after almost three years hiatus in the sidelines as Joint Managing Directore of state Security Corporation.
The state government created a new post to accommodate the 54-year-old IPS of 1994 batch, ADGP Deven Bharati as the Special Commissioner, Mumbai Police on the lines of Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru police to streamline the functioning of the Mumbai Police Commissionerate and assist the Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar.
According to the state government resolution (GR) order the newly created special commissioner will be able to assist the Mumbai police commissioner.
The order states that five joint commissioners report to the commissioner and now the special commissioner will help out the commissioner.
The exact powers and duties of the new post have not been specified and are likely to be clarified in the next few days
Deven Bharti's background
Delhi School of Economics graduate, Deven Bharati hails from Darbhanga, Bihar and completed his schooling from Jharkhand.
He has held several important and sensitive posts in Mumbai Police with first posting in Mumbai as DCP of then zone 7 consisting of western subrubs Bandra -Andheri, DCP crime branch, additional commissioner of police, crime branch and subsequently joint commissioner (Law and order) during the Shiv Sena BJP regime of CM Devendra Fadnavis.
He also held the important post of special IGP Law and Order and later promoted to ADGP to head the elite Anti Terror Sqaud (ATS).
Lead investigator for 26/11 case
Bharti has been credited for the investigation into several major crimes reported in the city including the 26/11 terror attacks and the hanging of the lone Pakistan terrorist arrested Ajmal Kasab.
The change of government in 2019 changed the fortunes of many senior IPS officers including Deven Bharati who were unceremoniously shunted to insignificant posts.
Controversies surround Bharti
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey had submitted adverse reports to the MVA government against Deven Bharati alleging underworld links
The new alliance government led by CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis rejected report of IPS Sanjay Pandey who had probed allegations made by criminal Vijay Palande, after the latter had claimed that Bharti had links with the underworld.
An FIR was also registered against Bharti and other officers for not registering case against BJP leader Hyder Azam’s wife for alleged procurement of her passport furnishing fake documents. The chargesheet however did not name Deven Bharati for lack of evidence.
