Pune: Rising Organised Crime Poses Challenge For New CP Amitesh Kumar As MPDA And MACOCA Cases Surpass 100

After serving as the longest-tenured Commissioner of Police in Nagpur, IPS Amitesh Kumar has been appointed as the Commissioner of Police in Pune.

Pune has been in the spotlight recently, grappling with incidents such as the escape of drug lord Lalit Patil, the daylight murder of gangster Sharad Mohol, a surge in vehicle vandalism, and gangs resorting to violence using koytas (sickles) on the outskirts of the city.

On January 31, Pune Police wielded the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act against notorious criminal Raju Hanumant Gaikwad, aged 39, a resident of Hadapsar, Pune.

This action marked the 100th effort by Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr to combat organised crime in the city. While MPDA actions reached a century in January, the count of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MACOCA) cases surpassed 100 in December 2023 under Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr. Since taking charge on December 16, 2022, Kumaarr had been underscoring the effective use of MACOCA to dismantle many organised crime gangs in the city.

While police assert that these actions are aimed at deterrence and maintaining control, independent experts have voiced concerns about the escalating organised criminal activity in Pune.

This surge in organised crime now presents a substantial challenge for the new Pune Police Commissioner, Amitesh Kumar. Pune residents anxiously await how Commissioner Amitesh Kumar will navigate and overcome this mounting menace.

Amitesh Kumar

Amitesh Kumar, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1995 batch, is set to assume the role of Pune CP. A distinguished recipient of the President’s Police Medal for commendable service and exceptional accomplishments in the realm of professional policing, Kumar has a diverse career history.

He has served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in Nagpur and Mumbai, Superintendent of Police in Solapur and Aurangabad (Rural), Commissioner of Police in Amravati, Additional Commissioner of Police (ATS), and Special Inspector General of Police (Aurangabad Range). Holding a degree in economics from Delhi’s St Stephen’s College, Amitesh Kumar is also a post-graduate in law and cyber law.

In a major reshuffle in the Maharashtra police department ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the state home department on Wednesday transferred and promoted several senior officials.

As many as 63 officers of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank were promoted to the post of Additional Director General of Police (ADG) and given new postings.

Current Pune Police Commissioner Retesh Kumarr was promoted as Director General of Home Guards.

Simultaneously, Pune Superintendent of Police Ankit Goyal has been transferred to Gadchiroli, and Pankaj Deshmukh will assume the position of Pune Rural SP.

Konkan Range IGP Pravin Pawar was transferred as Joint CP, Pune city.

IPS Ankit Goyal had taken charge in October 2022, while Kumaarr had taken charge in December 2022.