Rakesh Maria gets marching orders from Mumbai Police chief's post, Javed Ahmed to take charge

Mumbai: Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria was on Tuesday promoted as the new Director General of Police (Home Guards), and Javed Ahmed appointed in his place. A top home department official said Ahmed will take charge from Maria with immediate effect on Tuesday itself in view of the ensuing festive season of Ganeshotsav, Eid and Navratri. [caption id=“attachment_2425578” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A file image of Rakesh Maria. Sachin Gokhale/ Firstpost[/caption] Maria - who recently was in the limelight for his investigations into the Sheena Bora murder case - was due to be promoted on 30 September, but the process was advanced to enable the police officers to settle down before the festive season. The Mumbai police commissioner’s post is equivalent to that of director general. Ahmed has been lauded as “a very good officer” by former top cop and diplomat JF Ribeiro. Ahmed had been in the running for the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner in 2013 when he lost out to Maria. Ahmed, was instead promoted as director general (home guards), and Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) Vijay Kamble was made Thane’s police commissioner. Ahmed had reportedly gone on leave at the time to protest the decision. After facing flak over the appointment of Maria, the then chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had defended the decision. The appointment of Maria was seen as the result of a battle between the Congress and NCP over the appointment. “We have purely followed the rules. There is a rule, there is a government resolution (GR), an ordinance signed by the governor by which the Police Establishment Board (PEB) was set up. We have gone by it,” Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had said . with inputs from IANS