Rashmi Shukla, the first woman IPS officer to serve as DGP Maharashtra Police

New Delhi, January 6

In a surprise, the Centre moved Rashmi Shukla to her cadre making her the first woman Director General of Police of Maharashtra Police. 

Shukla is a 1988-batch IPS officer, one of the most senior IPS officers in the Maharashtra Police. 

Rashmi Shukla was on central deputation for over three to four years starting her stint as additional DGP Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The Centre had then appointed her as the Chief of Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB). 

The citizens in Maharashtra are known to Rashmi Shukla as she is one of the few IPS officer who took several steps for their welfare. She served as the Pune police commissioner where she was known for starting initiatives like ‘buddy cop’ which was replicated across the state.

She is known in the cadre for her toughness and a heart for the welfare of citizens. As the DGP of the state, Shukla has aimed to ensure citizen centric initiatives and work towards counter terrorism and counter cybercrime techniques. 

Her experience from the CRPF and SSB will add more value to the functioning of Maharashtra Police and boost the professionalism in the force.

After 'Buddy Cop' that still successfully works in Pune city, it was only the concept of Bharosa cell started by former CP now retired officer K Venkatesham that gained the popularity in the police force. 

A senior IPS officer from the cadre said, "She is one of the few IPS officers in Maharashtra Police who knows the state by its pulse. She has a vision for policing and her ideas were always appreciated by her subordinates. She's a tough officer but also has a softer approach on her counterparts and citizens to ensure the development or change is seen on the ground". 

The chances of appointing Shukla as the DGP of Maharashtra were high when the Devendra Fadnavis led BJP government was in power but as soon as the government changed and the Maha Vikas Aghadi party came to power led by Uddhav Thackeray, Shukla was accused of being close to Bharatiya Janta Party. 

The MVA government accused Shukla of tapping phones of their ministers and transferred her to civil defence department of Maharashtra Police. A case was registered by Mumbai Police against her accusing her of phone tapping and misuse of power. 

Three FIRs were registered alleging calls of MVA leaders were intercepted illegally and data from the State Intelligence Department (SID), which Shukla had headed, was leaked to the Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis. Of the three cases, in two, Shukla was named as the accused.

After the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government came to power in Maharashtra, the third case was transferred to the CBI. The CBi filed a closure report in the said case. The first two cases were quashed by the Bombay High Court. 

Shukla has replaced Rajnish Seth who retired last week. As the first woman IPS officer to head as the Chief of Maharashtra Police, Shukla carries a huge task of leading the force by example. 

Although she is due to retire in June this year and has only six months to her retirement but the Centre is expected to giver her an extension.