Major Bengal Police Overhaul: Peeyush Pandey Named Acting DGP as Assembly Election Looms

KOLKATA – In a significant administrative move, the West Bengal government announced a major reshuffle of the state’s police top brass on Friday. The state appointed Peeyush Pandey as the acting Director General of Police (DGP) just hours before the retirement of Rajeev Kumar. Additionally, Supratim Sarkar has stepped in as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner. This strategic overhaul comes at a critical time as West Bengal prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections.

The reshuffle took many by surprise due to its extensive nature. While changes were expected with DGP Rajeev Kumar’s superannuation on Saturday, the government replaced several police commissioners. New chiefs have been assigned to the commissionerates of Bidhannagar, Howrah, Barrackpore, and Chandannagar. This decision ensures that a fresh administrative team is in place before the Election Commission of India takes over the election machinery.

Acting DGP Peeyush Pandey brings SPG experience to the top post during a sensitive transition.

The appointment of Peeyush Pandey as the acting DGP follows a period of procedural deadlock. The state government had been waiting for the UPSC to finalize a permanent candidate from a list of eight senior officers. However, to ensure immediate continuity, the administration chose Pandey, a 1993-batch IPS officer. An IIT Kanpur alumnus with a law degree, Pandey previously served as the Director (Security). He was tasked with CM Mamata Banerjee’s VVIP security following a breach at her residence in 2022.

Meanwhile, Supratim Sarkar takes over the crucial role of Kolkata Police Commissioner. A 1997-batch officer and Presidency College alumnus, Sarkar previously served as ADG (South Bengal). He succeeds Manoj Varma, who will now move into the “sensitive” role of Director (Security). Sarkar’s extensive experience within the city police force is expected to provide stability to the capital’s law and order.

Vineet Goyal and Anuj Sharma take over vital roles following recent administrative challenges.

The state has also reassigned several high-profile officers to critical departments. Vineet Goyal, the former Kolkata Police chief, has been appointed as the ADG (Law and Order). This post is vital during election cycles for coordinating with the Election Commission and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Goyal replaces Jawed Shamim, who now heads the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF).

Furthermore, Anuj Sharma has been named the new DGP of Fire Services. This appointment follows the tragic Anandapur warehouse blaze, which has now claimed 27 lives. Sharma replaces Ranveer Kumar, who also retires this Saturday. In the suburbs, Murli Dhar replaces Mukesh as the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner. Mukesh was recently under scrutiny following administrative issues at the Salt Lake stadium during a major sporting event.