Maharashtra top cop, accused of phone-tapping, reinstated; Opposition reacts

With the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance’s stunning comeback in Maharashtra, the state government has reinstated a controversial senior police officer, Rashmi Shukla, as Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP). Her reinstatement drew mixed reactions from the opposition, with some raising objections while others offered congratulations.
Milind Narvekar, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and close aide to Uddhav Thackeray, congratulated Shukla on her reinstatement as the state’s top cop. However, leaders from the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) criticised the decision.
Shukla was removed from her earlier post in the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections, following an order from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The commission had acted on complaints from Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT), alleging her bias against opposition parties. Congress state president Nana Patole had written to the Chief Election Commissioner on October 31, calling for Shukla’s removal.
Shukla’s tenure as head of the state intelligence department has also been controversial. Opposition leaders, including Patole, Sanjay Raut, and Eknath Khadse, accused her of ordering unauthorised phone tapping during her earlier role.
Her reinstatement as DGP has sparked further debate, with political leaders questioning the timing and implications of the move. The state government has not commented on the allegations raised by the opposition.
Earlier, Nana Patole accused Shukla of showing a “clear bias” against opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar).
“She (Rashmi Shukla) has shown a clear bias against the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP(SP), as evidenced by her previous record of illegal phone tapping of opposition leaders while serving as Commissioner of Police, Pune, and Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID),” Patole said in the letter.