Explained: Sanjay Pandey’s appointment as Mumbai police commissioner

The Maharashtra government on Monday appointed Sanjay Pandey as the new police Commissioner days after he was removed as the acting DGP of Maharashtra. What is the story behind these changes?

Sanjay Pandey was Monday appointed the Commissioner of Mumbai Police. (Express Photo: Ganesh Shirsekar)

On Monday, in a decision that caught many unaware, the Maharashtra government appointed 1986 batch IPS officer Sanjay Pandey as the Mumbai Police Commissioner. On February 19, Pandey, who has only four months left for retirement, was appointed as the Commissioner.

Why was Sanjay Pandey removed as Maharashtra DGP?

Sanjay Pandey had been holding the post of “acting DGP” since April last year. In spite of his name not being recommended by a UPSC panel in their submission to the Maharashtra government last year, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government persisted with him.

However, recently in a PIL filed against Pandey continuing as DGP, the Bombay High Court pulled up the state government and called Pandey its “blue-eyed boy”. The HC also said it would pass an order if the government didn’t take action. It was following this that Pandey was removed as DGP following which he went on leave.

Story continues below this ad

Why has Sanjay Pandey been appointed as the Commissioner now?

It is believed that the MVA government was impressed with his tenure as DGP during which there were FIRs registered against IPS officer Param Bir Singh and also against Union Minister Narayan Rane. The BMC election is also expected to be held in Mumbai in the next two months.

Newsletter | Click to get the day’s best explainers in your inbox