Special Correspondent
Mumbai : In a significant administrative reshuffle, senior IPS officer Deven Bharti has been appointed as the new Mumbai Police Commissioner, replacing Vivek Phansalkar, who retires from service today. The decision was taken by the Maharashtra Home Department, and it is seen as a strategic move considering Mumbai’s complex law and order dynamics and its critical role as India’s financial capital.
A 1994-batch IPS officer, Bharti brings with him extensive experience in policing, intelligence, and counter-terrorism. He has served in several key positions in the Mumbai Police force including Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Joint Commissioner (Law & Order), and as the Chief of Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He played a crucial role in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, leading vital investigations and strengthening counter-terror measures.
Bharti had been serving as Special Commissioner of Police (Mumbai) prior to this elevation. He is known to be a close aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, having worked with him during the BJP-led government between 2014 and 2019. During that period, Bharti held charge of law and order when Mumbai faced several high-profile challenges including terror threats, communal sensitivities, and major protests.
Interestingly, the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner was upgraded to the Director General (DG) rank in 2015 during Fadnavis’s earlier tenure as Chief Minister. However, in this current reshuffle, the position has been brought back to the Additional Director General (ADG) rank, under which Bharti will now function.
His appointment comes at a time when Mumbai is gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, managing high-profile VVIP movements, dealing with increasing cybercrime, and tackling concerns around urban crime and terrorism. Given his background in counter-terrorism and operational policing, Bharti’s leadership is expected to strengthen the city’s law enforcement strategy.
The Mumbai Police, with a force strength of nearly 50,000 personnel, faces some of the most challenging security tasks in the country. Stakeholders across the political spectrum, as well as civil society, will be closely observing how Bharti balances assertive policing with public engagement and institutional accountability.
Bharti’s immediate priorities are likely to include enhancing intelligence coordination, urban surveillance networks, women’s safety initiatives, and election security preparedness. His return to the top post marks a full-circle moment in a career dedicated to upholding public order, and it reinforces the Maharashtra government’s focus on putting trusted, experienced hands in pivotal positions.
With this appointment, the state has signaled both continuity and firmness in handling the ever-evolving security landscape of Mumbai.
