Rashmi Shukla, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has been appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) in Maharashtra. This makes her the first woman to hold this position in the state. With all the Director Generals of Police currently in Jaipur for a meeting, Shukla is expected to assume her new role on Monday, January 8.
Vivek Phansalkar served as the acting DGP until Shukla's appointment.
Shukla's appointment comes after the current government dismissed all three criminal complaints against her. These were related to alleged spying on various Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders.
The Selection Process
Shukla was one of three candidates considered for the position. The other two were Sandeep Bishnoi, the head of the Police Housing Corporation, and police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar. The Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) empanelment committee shortlisted these candidates.
Despite initial concerns from the UPSC and opposition from some Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) politicians, she was selected at the UPSC meeting on Friday.
Alleged Internal Politics
Reports suggest that Shukla's appointment was made possible by the approval of former DGP Rajnish Seth's appointment as chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission in October 2023. It is said that Shukla aspired to become the commissioner of police for Mumbai, but her political superiors did not want to disrupt the status quo within the force.
Cyber Police Probe Against Shukla
Shukla has held various positions in the police department. Her tenure as the commissioner of the state intelligence department was marked by controversy. She was charged thrice for alleged spying.
In March 2021, the Mumbai cyber police opened their first probe in response to a complaint alleging that an unidentified individual had leaked a report that Shukla had provided. Further charges were filed against her in February 2022 and March 2022. However, all three cases were either dropped or closed after the BJP-Shiv Sena government came to power in June 2023.
Case Dismissal
The Bombay High Court dismissed the cases filed against Shukla in Pune and Colaba in August 2023, citing the state government's denial of permission to prosecute her. This marked the end of the legal battles for Shukla, paving the way for her appointment as the DGP of Maharashtra.
Rashmi Shukla's career timeline:
1988: Rashmi Shukla cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination and joined the Indian Police Service (IPS), being allotted to the Maharashtra cadre.
1988 - 2014: She served in various positions in Maharashtra police such as the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Aurangabad Rural, Nashik Rural, Satara, and Pune Rural districts, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Zone 1 and Zone 5 in Mumbai, the Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) of South Region in Mumbai, the Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) of Crime Branch in Mumbai, the Commissioner of Police (CP) of Nagpur and Pune, and the Commissioner of State Intelligence Department (SID).
2014 - 2019: During this, she served as the Commissioner of Police in Pune and the Commissioner of State Intelligence Department (SID).
2016: She became the second woman to hold the post of Police Commissioner.
2021: She was elevated to the post of Additional Director General (ADG) at the Government of India.
October 2022: Rashmi Shukla was appointed as the additional director general of the Central Reserve Police Force in Hyderabad
Awards:
She received President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2005 and President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2013.
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