With just over two weeks remaining for Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar to retire, on April 30, the race to appoint his successor has intensified.
Phansalkar, a 1989-batch IPS officer, will step down after a long and eventful tenure, and the decision on his replacement lies with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
While seniority is a factor, political alignment and preferences – particularly those of Fadnavis – are expected to heavily influence the selection.
Sources point out that Fadnavis recently extended retirement wishes to Phansalkar during a police event – well before his actual date of retirement – signalling that an extension for the current commissioner is unlikely.
Frontrunner
Among the frontrunners is Deven Bharti, a 1994-batch IPS officer and a trusted associate of Fadnavis. During Fadnavis’ previous term as chief minister (2014–2019), Bharti served an unusually long tenure as Joint Commissioner (Law & Order) in Mumbai. Currently, he holds the post of Special Commissioner of Police, a newly created designation introduced on January 16, 2023.
Senior contenders
From the 1990 IPS batch, Sanjay Kumar Verma is among the most senior officers in the running. With retirement due in April 2028, Verma briefly served as Director General of Police in November 2023 and is currently handling the Legal and Technical Department.
Also from the 1990 batch is Sadanand Date, currently on central deputation and heading the National Investigation Agency. Date played a key role in the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India. He was also a significant member of the team investigating the 26/11 terror attacks. His work has reportedly brought him into the good books of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, strengthening his candidacy for the CP post.
Other names
Other senior officers who could be considered include Bipin Kumar Singh (DG, State Security Corporation), retiring in October 2025; and Ritesh Kumar (DG, State CID), also holding a DG rank. Both officers are of DG rank, making them technically eligible for the commissioner’s post.
Woman Candidate
Among the women officers, Archana Tyagi from the 1993 batch stands out as a strong contender. Currently serving as the managing director of the Maharashtra Police Housing and Welfare Corporation, Tyagi is widely respected in the force. She is also believed to have inspired the character played by Rani Mukerji in the 2014 Bollywood film Mardaani. Notably, Maharashtra already has a woman DGP, which could support her case further.
