Arti Singh Appointed Mumbai’s First Woman Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) in Major IPS Reshuffle
Arti Singh Appointed Mumbai’s First Woman Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) in Major IPS Reshuffle
In a groundbreaking development, senior IPS officer Arti Singh has become the first woman to be appointed as Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) in Mumbai. Her historic elevation comes as part of a major reshuffle in the Maharashtra police force, reflecting a strategic move to bolster the city’s internal security and intelligence apparatus.
Singh, a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, previously served as Commissioner of Police in Amravati and SP in Nashik Rural. She is currently an Inspector General (IG) rank officer and has held several key positions, including Special IG (Administration) in the DGP’s office and Additional CP in Mumbai. Notably, she led the Special Investigation Team in the high-profile Badlapur case. Singh, originally from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, also holds an MBBS degree, bringing a unique academic background to her policing career.
Mumbai’s Intelligence Operations Get a Strategic Boost
The newly created post of Joint Commissioner (Intelligence) is the sixth at this rank within the Mumbai Police. Previously, the Special Branch—responsible for intelligence operations—was headed by a DIG-rank officer acting as Additional Commissioner and reporting to the Joint Commissioner (Law and Order). With the structural upgrade, Singh’s IG-level leadership will now allow the Special Branch to report directly to the Commissioner of Police, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making.
“This is a strategic shift designed to speed up intelligence flow and ensure quicker preventive action,” said a senior police official. The change is seen as a response to emerging geopolitical threats and the need for a more agile intelligence framework in the city.
Maharashtra Government Reshuffles Top IPS Posts
Singh’s appointment is part of a sweeping administrative overhaul implemented by the Maharashtra government. The previous post of Special Commissioner—held by an ADG—has been downgraded to accommodate the new Joint Commissioner (Intelligence) role.
The reshuffle also includes multiple high-level transfers and promotions:
- Anil Paraskar, former Additional CP (Central Region), Mumbai, moved to Protection and Security.
- Vinita Sahu, formerly with Protection and Security, now posted to Local Arms.
- Shailesh Balkawade, ex-Additional CP (Crime), Pune, now holds the same position in Mumbai.
- Shashi Kumar Meena, former Additional CP (Crime), reassigned as Additional CP (North Region), Mumbai.
- Rakesh Kalasagar, earlier SRPF commandant in Amravati, now Commissioner of Railway Police, Mumbai.
- Dhananjay Kulkarni, former SP, Ratnagiri, promoted as Additional CP (Special Branch), Mumbai.
- Vikram Deshmane, SP, Nashik Rural, appointed Additional CP (Central Region), Mumbai.
- Arvind Chawariya, Additional CP, Pune, now Commissioner of Police, Amravati.
- Rajendra Dabhade, ex-SP (Civil Rights), posted as Additional CP, Nagpur.
- Pravin Patil, shifted from Pune to Additional CP, Nagpur.
- Pramod Shewale, ex-Additional CP, Nagpur, joins the Anti-Terrorism Squad as DIG.
- S T Rathod, previously in Nagpur, now DIG of the newly formed Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF).
- Sharada Raut, formerly with the CBI, now Special IG, ANTF.
This extensive reshuffle is aimed at realigning leadership to meet modern policing challenges, improve inter-departmental coordination, and build a stronger, intelligence-led policing infrastructure in Maharashtra.
