The Maharashtra Government has officially approved a new post in the department of Mumbai Police. Now, Mumbai police will get another joint commissioner (Intelligence Department), the sixth such post, to oversee intelligence gathering, including keeping track of sleeper cells. The decision has been taken by the Maharashtra government in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan military conflict and the Pahalgam terror attack.
According to the Government Resolution (GR) issued, Mumbai is the financial capital of India, and the functioning of the intelligence department becomes extremely important as the city has a high threat perception, and it is home to several VIPs and important individuals. The President, Vice President, Prime Minister of India, and several other key figures also visit Mumbai from time to time.
Therefore, the Maharashtra Government were earlier considering the creation of the Joint Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Department post, which has now been formally approved.
With this decision, a new position titled Joint Commissioner of Police- Intelligence will be added to the Mumbai Police setup. According to sources, the main role of this department will be to strengthen the intelligence network, and based on sleeper cell activities or threat perceptions, it will be responsible for monitoring terror-related or threat-related activities in the city through intelligence gathering and analysis.
Before this order, the metropolis' police had 5 joint commissioners for-
- Law and order
- Crime
- Administration
- Traffic
- Economic offences
“In Mumbai, intelligence gathering is done by the Special Branch, which is headed by an additional commissioner (deputy inspector general rank) who reports to the joint commissioner (law and order). Now this branch will be headed by a joint commissioner, who will be of inspector-general rank,” the official said.
“The Special Branch monitors every development in the city, collects intelligence inputs as well as keeps track of the activities of sleeper cells and (terror) sympathisers,” he said.
Under the new mechanism, the joint commissioner of Special Branch will report directly to the commissioner and will also coordinate with the joint commissioner (law and order), the official added.
"It will help in gathering intelligence and sharing information with superiors in a timely manner so that swift action can be taken. At present, the post of additional commissioner (Special Branch) is vacant and it is being looked after by the additional commissioner of police (crime)," he said.