Around 40 IPS officers transferred in Maharashtra, Nashik city gets new police chief

MUMBAI: In a major reshuffle, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday promoted or transferred around 40 senior police officers, including Nashik police commissioner Deepak Pandey, who has been replaced, days after he reportedly alleged that land mafias were hand in glove with a section of revenue department officials and faced flak for going public on the issue.

Transfers and promotions were announced in multiple official orders. DIG (VIP security) Jayant Naiknavare will replace Pandey as the Nashik police commissioner. Pandey, who was criticised by Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat for making the allegation in the media, has been appointed special inspector general (prevention of atrocities on women department).

In the backdrop of loudspeaker row, Pandey had issued directives a few days ago stating no one will be allowed to play bhajan or songs on loudspeakers within 15-minute period before and after the call of 'azaan' in the radius of 100 meters of any mosque in Nashik city.

The directives were issued in the wake of MNS president Raj Thackeray's demand that loudspeakers atop mosques be removed by May 3 or else Hanuman Chalisa will be played on loudspeakers in front of them. According to media reports, in March Pandey had written a letter to the DGP seeking transfer out of Nashik city.

In a separate letter to the state police chief, the IPS officer had sought curtailment in powers of district revenue officers and also suggested certain administrative changes. The government has also transferred Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Krishna Prakash, who will be the new Spl IG (VIP Security), Maharashtra. IG (Sudhar Seva) Ankush Shinde will replace Prakash as the Pimpri-Chinchwad top cop.

In another development, Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police's Crime Branch Milind Bharambe and IG (Law & Order) Suhas Warke have been transferred to each other's posts.  Joint Commissioner of Pune city Ravindra Shisve has been appointed IG (State Human Rights Commission), while senior officer Sureshkumar Mekala has been named IG (State CID).

DIG Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Lakhmi Gautam has been transferred as IG (Establishment) in the Maharashtra police headquarters, while Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police's West Region Sandeep Karnik has been promoted and appointed in Shisve's place.

Another senior officer and Karnik's batchmate Satyanarayan who serves in Mumbai Police's Traffic department has been appointed IG (Coastal Security), his counterpart in Mumbai's North region Pravinkumar Padwal has been promoted and transferred as Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police's EOW, while S Jaykumar, who is Additional Commissioner in Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar Police Commissionerate has been promoted and posted as IG (Administration) in the state police headquarters.

Addl Commissioner of Mumbai Police's Protection and Security branch officer Nishith Mishra has been posted as IG (Anti-Terrorism Squad), Sanjay Mohite promoted as IG (Konkan range), Dattatray Karale promoted as Joint Commissioner (Thane), Pravin Pawar has been promoted as Director, Maharashtra Intelligence Academy, and Balasaheb G Shekhar as IG (Nashik range).

In all, the government has promoted 14 officials as special police inspector general and transferred many of them elsewhere. Eleven officials were promoted as deputy inspector general and transferred from their current place of posting.