In a significant development, Rashmi Shukla, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the 1988 batch, has been appointed as the Director General of Police by the Maharashtra government. The announcement comes after a period of legal challenges faced by Shukla, who now assumes a pivotal role in leading the state’s police force.
Shukla, succeeding her batchmate Rajnish Seth, took over the position after his retirement and subsequent assumption of leadership at the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). Prior to her new role, Shukla served as the additional director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and headed Sashastra Seema Bal during her central deputation.
Having previously led the State Intelligence Department (SID) and served as Pune police commissioner during the tenure of the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP administration, Shukla brings a wealth of experience to her new role.
The appointment of Shukla raised eyebrows due to perceived political affiliations, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government expressing concerns about her proximity to the BJP government. This concern led to her transfer from the position of State Intelligence Commissioner (SID) to a non-executive role in Civil Defence in 2020.
Shukla faced legal challenges, including allegations related to phone-tapping cases. The Bombay High Court dismissed two phone-tapping cases against her, including charges of tapping the phones of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Eknath Khadse and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.
Additionally, Shukla faced accusations of leaking a confidential report linking police officers to middlemen involved in unethical practices related to postings and transfers. She refuted these claims, asserting that her actions were driven by a commitment to public service and national security.
