A 2006 batch IPS officer, Aarti Singh, on Friday became Mumbai’s first Joint Commissioner of Police of Intelligence.
Singh hails from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh and also holds an MBBS degree.
In order to boost intelligence gathering, the sixth post of joint commissioner in the metropolis’ force was created recently by the Maharashtra government.
“In Mumbai, intelligence gathering is done by the Special Branch, which is headed by an additional commissioner (deputy inspector general rank) who reports to the joint commissioner (law and order). Now this branch will be headed by a joint commissioner, who will be of inspector-general rank,” reported PTI, quoting an official.
“The Special Branch monitors every development in the city, collects intelligence inputs as well as keeps track of the activities of sleeper cells and (terror) sympathisers,” the official added.
Under the new mechanism, the joint commissioner of Special Branch will report directly to the commissioner and will also coordinate with the joint commissioner (law and order), the official added.
“It will help in gathering intelligence and sharing information with superiors in a timely manner so that swift action can be taken. At present, the post of additional commissioner (Special Branch) is vacant and it is being looked after by the additional commissioner of police (crime),” he said.
Earlier this week, senior IPS officer Sharada Raut was appointed as the Special IGP of the newly-created Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF).
Raut, a 2005 batch IPS officer, recently returned to the Maharashtra Police force after a stint in the CBI.
Several officers transferred
Several deputy inspector general (DIG) rank officers were transferred and 14 superintendents of police (SPs) were promoted and made DIGs.
— Anil Paraskar, who was additional commissioner of Mumbai’s Central Region, has been transferred to Protection and Security department in the force.
— Current Additional CP (Protection and Security) Vinita Sahu has been transferred to Local Arms.
— Shailesh Balkawade, who was additional CP (Crime) in Pune has been transferred as additional CP (Crime ) in Mumbai, reported PTI.
— Additional CP (Crime) Shashi Kumar Meena has been posted as additional CP (North Region) in Mumbai.
— Rakesh Kalasagar, who was commandant of State Reserve Police Force in Amravati, has been made Mumbai railway police commissioner.
— Ratnagiri SP Dhananjay Kulkarni has been promoted and made additional CP (Special Branch ) in Mumbai.
— Nashik Rural SP Vikram Deshmane is the new additional CP of Mumbai’s Central Region
