Who is Deven Bharti, new Mumbai police chief?

Bharti has been involved in investigations into several major crimes reported in the city, including the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

Mumbai: Much on expected lines, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Deven Bharati - who has played a key role in the investigations into the 26/11 terror attacks - as the next Commissioner of the Mumbai Police.

Bharti (56), an officer of the 1994 batch of the Indian Police Service, was currently the Special Commissioner of Police in Mumbai.

Bharti replaces Vivek Phansalkar, who superannuated on Wednesday.

Bharti is considered close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister.

An officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police, Bharati is slated to retire in 2028.

Bharti’s promotion to the rank of Director General of Police is due in August 2025.

For over a decade and half, the post of the Mumbai Police chief was held by an officer of the DGP, however, Bharti’s appointment is a departure from that norm.

Bharti hails from Darbhanga in B Bihar and completed his Master's from the Delhi School of Economics.

Bharati has worked in Mumbai for a long time serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) and Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order). He had also headed the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

He is also credited with breaking the backbone of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen in Maharashtra. Besides, in the Crime Branch, he had investigated the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.