‘Will try to ensure police services reach the last man on the ground’: Deven Bharti

Asked about the rising instances of cyber crime, Bharti said, “We have five cyber police stations and the CM recently inaugurated cyber labs which will boost our fight against cyber crime. We will also take steps to improve cyber helpline 1930.”

Bharti, a high-profile officer, who originally hails from Bihar, has served in several important posts in Mumbai city in the past decades and is well versed with the city. He was one of the longest-serving joint commissioners of police (law and order) of Mumbai city, an important posting overseeing all police stations in the city.

Apart from this, he has held several other posts, including that of the head of the Maharashtra State Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and as the additional commissioner of police (Crime Branch). Involved in the investigation into several major crimes reported in the city, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Bharti is known to enjoy the confidence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who created the post of special police commissioner in January 2023 and appointed Bharti. Between 2014 and 2019, the officer enjoyed prominent postings.

However, in October 2020, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government came to power, he was transferred to the Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC), considered a side posting. It was again during the period of MVA government that he and two others were booked on charges of not registering an FIR against BJP leader Hyder Azam’s wife when it was alleged that fake documents were used to procure her passport. However, the police probe did not find any evidence to back the charges, and he was not named in the chargesheet filed by the Mumbai Crime Branch in connection with the case.

Bharti is known to enjoy reading books, especially works by author Ramdhari Singh Dinkar and poems by Dushyant Kumar. He frequently posts verses on his social media handle on X (formerly twitter).