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The Greater Mumbai Police (
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस,
IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...
: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the
police department The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...
of the city of
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
,
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. It is a city police commissionerate under the
Maharashtra Police Maharashtra Police (IAST: ''Mahārāṣṭra Polīs Sēvā'', formerly '' Bombay State Police'') is the law enforcement agency responsible for the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is headed by Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla (IPS), an ...
and has the primary responsibilities of law enforcement in the city of
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
and its surrounding areas. The force's motto is ' (, English: "To protect Good and to destroy Evil"). It is headed by a Commissioner of Police (CP), an officer of the
Indian Police Service The Indian Police Service (IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became Partition of India, independent from the British Empire. Along with the Indian Admini ...
. The force is divided into 12 police districts, called zones, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), further subdivided into 94 police stations.


History


Early history

From 1534 until 1661,
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
(then known as Bombay) was under Portuguese colonial rule. The Portuguese authorities in Mumbai established a
police station A police station is a facility operated by police or a similar law enforcement agency that serves to accommodate police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The role served by a police station varies by agency, type, and jurisdiction, ...
in 1661, the same year it was transferred to the
English colonial empire The English overseas possessions comprised a variety of overseas territories that were colonised, conquered, or otherwise acquired by the Kingdom of England before 1707. (In 1707 the Acts of Union made England part of the Kingdom of Great Br ...
.Mumbai Police – History
at th
Mumbai Police Website
/ref> Now being governed by the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
, the new
city administration A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
established a
militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
known as the Bhandari Militia (which consisted of approximately 600 Bandareen men supplied by 100 local landowners) in 1669 to combat
street gangs A gang is a group or society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collecti ...
that targeted sailors. This new force, which was organised by
governor of Bombay Until the 18th century, Bombay consisted of seven islands separated by shallow sea. These seven islands were part of a larger archipelago in the Arabian sea, off the western coast of India. The date of city's founding is unclear—historians tr ...
Gerald Aungier Gerald Aungier (1640 – 30 June 1677), of Anglo-Irish stock, was the 2nd British Governor of Bombay, and is often spoken of as the city's "founding father". As president of the English East India Company's factory in Surat, in 1669 he took c ...
, was headquartered at
Mahim Mahim (, ) is a neighbourhood in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Mahim Junction railway station on the Western Railway zone, Western Railway and Harbour line (Mumbai Suburban Railway), Harbour Railway of the Mumbai Suburban Railway, Mumbai Suburb ...
, Sevree and Sion (with a
subedar Subedar ( ) is a military rank in the militaries of South Asia roughly equivalent to that of a warrant officer. Historically classed in the British Indian Army as a Viceroy's commissioned officer, the rank was retained in the Indian Army an ...
stationed in each headquarter) and used primarily for
law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...
purposes. In 1672, the city administration implemented a policy of having all law enforcement decisions to be subject to
judicial review Judicial review is a process under which a government's executive, legislative, or administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. In a judicial review, a court may invalidate laws, acts, or governmental actions that are in ...
by the
judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
, though the East India Company suffered from a lack of trained judges during the first decades of their control over Mumbai. The situation remained unchanged for decades.Mumbai Police Force
History on
TIFR Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is a leading research Institute under the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India. It is a public deemed university located at Navy Nagar, Colaba in Mumbai. It also has a centres in B ...
website.
By 1682, law enforcement in Mumbai remained stagnant, and there was only one
ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...
, two
corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...
s and three
sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
s in the Bhandari Militia.


Creation and early days

On 29 March 1780, the office of the Lieutenant of Police was dissolved and the office of Deputy of Police was created. James Tod, the then Lieutenant of Police was appointed as the first Deputy of Police on 5 April 1780. He was tried and dismissed for corruption in 1790. Subsequently, the designation was changed to "Deputy of Police and High Constable". In 1793, Act XXXIII, Geo. III was promulgated. The post of Deputy of Police was abolished and a post of Superintendent of Police was created in its place, with a ''Deputy of Superintendent of Police'' assisting him. Mr. Simon Halliday was the first Superintendent of Police, and governed till 1808. During this time, a thorough revision and re-arrangement of policing in the area outside the Fort was carried out. The troublesome area known as "Dungree and the Woods" was split up into 14 Police divisions, each division being staffed by two English constables and a varying number of Peons (not exceeding 130 for the whole area), who were to be stationary in their respective charges and responsible for dealing with all illegal acts committed within their limits.


Post-1857

Following the establishment of
Crown rule in India The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or dire ...
after the
Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...
, in 1864 Commissioners of Police were assigned to the three presidency towns of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. On 14 December 1864, Sir Frank Souter was appointed as the first Police Commissioner of Bombay; in the same year, Khan Bahadur Sheikh Ibrahim Sheikh Imam became the first Indian to be appointed to a senior rank in the Bombay Police, while Souter remained in office for 24 years until 3 July 1888. In 1896, the Police Commissioner of Bombay's office was moved to an Indo-Saracenic building, which it still occupies to this day. The building has been designated as a protected heritage site by the
Indian government The Government of India (ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of 36 states and union territor ...
.


After 1947

After independence, many changes to the Bombay Police were instituted. On 15 August 1947, J.S. Bharucha became the first Indian head of the Bombay Police, taking over from the last British Commissioner, Mr. A.E. Caffin. A dog squad was set up in 1965. Computers were first used by the Bombay police in 1976. A Narcotics Cell and an anti-terrorist special operations squad were created in 1989. The service was renamed to Mumbai Police in 1995, following the renaming of Bombay to Mumbai. In 1995, the control room was computerised, and finally, in 1997, the Mumbai Police went online. In 2002, the airport police section handed over security to the
CISF The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. CISF's primary mission is to provide security to large institutions, be it state or privately-owned. It was set up unde ...
. A massive modernization of the Mumbai Police took place in 2005. New vehicles, guns and electronic equipment were procured for police use. The Tourist Squad was also created to patrol the beaches of Mumbai. On 30 May 2009 the Maharashtra government in Mumbai set up a police station dedicated to tackling cyber crime. It is the third such facility in India after Bangalore and Hyderabad. The dedicated police station will now register first information reports (FIRs) on its own and investigate offences pertaining to cyberspace. It is not clear how people abroad may report to Mumbai Cybercell. The police station will take care of all cyber cases in the city including that of terror e-mails. The existing Cyber Crime Investigation Cell of the city police probes cyber offences, but the FIRs are registered in local police stations depending on the site of the offence. A specially trained team of over 25 policemen, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), were selected for the new job. The facility will function under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Preventive) and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime). Following the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, a
SWAT A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
like unit was created to combat terrorism. Named as Force One, the unit has been trained in the use of sophisticated arms and explosives, and the personnel are known for their rapid shooting skills. While the
National Security Guard The National Security Guard (NSG) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the primary counter-terrorism force of the Government of India. It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue ...
has a regional hub in
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
, Force One is expected to be part of the initial response to a terror strike in
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
.


Headquarters

The Mumbai Police Headquarters are in a Grade II-A listed heritage building that was built in 1894 and designed by John Adams, who also designed the
Royal Bombay Yacht Club The Royal Bombay Yacht Club (RBYC) is one of the premier gentlemen's clubs which was founded in 1846 in Colaba (formerly Wellington Pier (Bombay), Wellington Pier), an area of Mumbai in India. The building was designed by John Adams, who also d ...
. It is located opposite
Crawford Market Crawford Market (officially Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai) is one of South Mumbai's most famous markets. The building was completed in 1869, and donated to the city by Cowasji Jehangir. Originally named after Arthur Crawford, the first Municipal ...
in South Mumbai, a mile away from the
Victoria Terminus Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), also known sometimes as Victoria Terminus (VT), is a historic railway terminus and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The ter ...
. The construction work started on 17 November 1894 and finished two years later on 24 December 1896. The building was formally opened on 1 January 1897. The architectural style of the building is
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
. In contrast to the
Maharashtra Police Headquarters Maharashtra Police Headquarters building (formerly Royal Alfred Sailors' Home) is a Grade I listed UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Mumbai that was built between 1872 and 1876, and designed by the British architect Frederick William Stevens ...
in Fort, which uses blue
basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
and was built some two decades earlier, this building uses yellow basalt. The building underwent a major restoration in 2017 for the first time in its 120-year history. In 2018, it was announced that a police museum funded by
Tata Trusts Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) was founded in 1919 with a sum of Indian currency 8 million. It was under the Ownership of Ratan Tata until his death. Noel Tata was appointed as the Chairman of the Tata Trusts on 11 October 2024, post the demise o ...
would open in the building. Since then, there have been no further developments.


Organisation

The Mumbai Police Department is headed by a
Police Commissioner A police commissioner is the head of a police department, responsible for overseeing its operations and ensuring the effective enforcement of laws and maintenance of public order. They develop and implement policies, manage budgets, and coordinate ...
, who is an IPS officer. The Mumbai Police comes under the state home department through
Maharashtra Police Maharashtra Police (IAST: ''Mahārāṣṭra Polīs Sēvā'', formerly '' Bombay State Police'') is the law enforcement agency responsible for the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is headed by Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla (IPS), an ...
. The city is divided into Twelve police zones and Twenty Five
traffic police Traffic police (also known as traffic officers, traffic enforcement units, traffic cops, traffic monitors, or traffic enforcers) are units and Law enforcement agency, agencies who enforce Traffic#Rules of the road, traffic laws and Road traffic ...
zones, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Mumbai Police. The department holds several programs for the welfare of its officials including Retirement Planning Workshop.


Geographical division

Mumbai police is broadly divided into five regions namely Central, North, South, East and West. For administrative purposes, each region is subdivided into 3 to 4 zones. Each zone contains 3 to 4 police stations. Each zone is commanded by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). Apart from the 12 zones, there is also an additional
Port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
zone. Police stations under the Port zone keep vigil on the Mumbai Port and container terminals in Mumbai. There are a total of 91 police stations in the jurisdiction of Mumbai Police. Every police station has a Police Inspector who is the in-charge officer of the station.


Subunits

Mumbai Police is divided into the following units: * Local Police * Special Unit Service * Crime Branch * or Cyber Cell is a wing of Mumbai Police, India, to deal with
computer crime Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of criminal activities that are carried out using digital devices and/or networks. It has been variously defined as "a crime committed on a computer network, especially the Internet"; Cybercriminals may exp ...
s, and to enforce provisions of India's
information technology law Information technology law (IT law), also known as information, communication and technology law (ICT law) or cyberlaw, concerns the juridical regulation of information technology, its possibilities and the consequences of its use, including comp ...
, namely, the
Information Technology Act, 2000 The Information Technology Act, 2000 (also known as ITA-2000, or the IT Act) is an Act of the Indian Parliament (No 21 of 2000) notified on 17 October 2000. It is the primary law in India dealing with cybercrime and electronic commerce. Secon ...
, and various cyber crime related provisions of criminal laws, including the
Indian Penal Code The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the official criminal code of the Republic of India, inherited from British India after independence. It remained in force until it was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in December 2023 ...
, and the Companies Act of India subsection on IT-Sector responsibilities of corporate measures to protect cybersecurity. Cyber Crime Investigation Cell is a part of Crime Branch, Criminal Investigation Department of the Mumbai Police. * Commando Force * Detection Unit ( Mumbai Encounter Squad) * Anti Terrorist Squad * Mumbai Traffic Police * Administration * Social Service Cell * Narcotics Cell * Wireless Cell * Local Armed Police * Anti-Extortion Cell * Modus Operandi Bureau * Missing Persons Bureau *
Special Branch Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security and Intelligence (information gathering), intelligence in Policing in the United Kingdom, British, Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, ...
* Intelligence Unit * Protection & Security * Riot Control Police * Economic Offenses Wing * Juvenile AID Protection Unit * Quick Response Team * Force One Each of these units have a Chief of the rank of Joint Commissioner of Police.


Hierarchy

*Commissioner of Police (CP)
(DGP/ADGP Rank) *Special Commissioner of Police (Spl.CP)
(ADGP Rank) *Joint Commissioner of Police (Jt.CP)
(IG Rank) *Additional Commissioner of Police (Addl.CP)
(DIG Rank) *Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)
(SP/Addl.SP Rank) *Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)
(ASP/DSP Rank) *Police Inspector/Senior Police Inspector (PI) *Assistant Police Inspector (API) *Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) *Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) *Head Constable (HC) *Police Naik (PN) *Police Constable (PC)


Insignia of Mumbai Police (City Police)

;Gazetted Officers


Hierarchy


Recruitment

Those who join the police department through the subordinate services examination of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission enter the force at the lowest ranks of the force. Their starting rank is that of a Police constable. Those who join the police force through the combined competitive examination of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission holds a starting rank of
Sub Inspector Sub-inspector (SI), or sub-inspector of police or police sub-inspector (PSI), is a rank used extensively in South Asia: in the police forces of Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, which are primarily based on the British model. It was form ...
or Deputy Superintendent of Police of Maharashtra Police Service. Civil Servants who join the police force through the
civil service examination Civil service examinations are examinations implemented in various countries for recruitment and admission to the civil service. They are intended as a method to achieve an effective, rational public administration on a merit system for recruiti ...
conducted by UPSC holds a starting rank of
Assistant Superintendent of Police Assistant superintendent, or assistant superintendent of police (ASP), is a rank that was used by police forces in the British Empire and is still used in many police forces in the Commonwealth. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held b ...
of
Indian Police Service The Indian Police Service (IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became Partition of India, independent from the British Empire. Along with the Indian Admini ...
cadre. Generally the IPS officers make it to the highest rank of Director General. The Commissioner of Police of Mumbai, an IPS officer is one of the rank of
Additional Director General of Police The Additional Director General of Police (Addl. DGP) is a senior rank in the Indian Police Service (IPS). It is the second-highest rank in the state police forces of India, below the Director General of Police (DGP) and above the Inspector Gener ...
.


High-profile cases


2008 Mumbai attacks

Anti-Terrorism Squad An Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is a special counterterrorism unit present in several state police agencies of India including Maharashtra Police, Gujarat Police, Kerala Police, Uttar Pradesh Police, Rajasthan Police, Bihar Police, Jharkhan ...
Chief
Hemant Karkare Hemant Kamlakar Karkare, () (12 December 1954 – 26 November 2008) was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2009, he was posthumously given the Ashoka Chakra, India's ...
, Additional Commissioner of Police
Ashok Kamte Ashok Kamte AC (23 February 1965 – 26 November 2008) was an Indian police officer, serving as the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police supervising the Eastern region. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was ...
and Encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar were among the policemen who fell to the bullets of the terrorists. Then Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Crime Branch Mr. Rakesh Maria under the leadership of Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor tackled the abrupt attack by his superb skills. Mr. Ramesh Mahale, then an officer with crime branch investigated the case and brought the lone arrested militant
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
to justice. Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor was shunted out of his office. Mahale resigned recently over a murder case investigation which he was leading. In the following year, as a response to these attacks, a specialised counter-terrorism unit, Force One was formed and commissioned on 24 November 2009, two days before the anniversary of the
26/11 The 2008 Mumbai attacks, also referred to as 26/11 attacks, were a series of coordinated Islamic terrorism, Islamist terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist o ...
terror attacks. A Committee was appointed to look into the failures of cops pertaining to the terror attack. The Ram Pradhan Committee, as it came to be known, furnished a report recommending a series of improvements & reforms. The State Government of Maharashtra however never had this report tabled in the legislature fearing a fallout over strictures passed in the report. A Public Interest Litigation has been filed by social activist Ketan Tirodkar to demand equal justice for all the police who were killed in the terror attack; especially for the members of the Bomb Disposal Squad of Mumbai Police. During the hearing of the petition, the Government informed the High Court that the Federal Government of India has rejected the proposal to award the Bomb Disposal Squad of the city police for their contribution in defusing grenades in the terror attack.


Sheena Bora murder case

Sheena Bora, an executive working for
Metro One Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
based in Mumbai, went missing on 24 April 2012. In August 2015, the Mumbai Police had received a tip-off from an unknown man claiming that Sheena Bora had been murdered. After they got in touch with their Counterparts in Pune, they arrested her mother, Indrani Mukerjea, her stepfather Sanjeev Khanna, and her mother's chauffeur, Shyamvar Pinturam Rai, for allegedly abducting and killing her and subsequently burning her corpse. They also arrested Indrani's husband,
Peter Mukerjea Peter Mukerjea (born 21 November 1956) is a British retired television executive. From 1997 to 2007 he was the CEO of STAR India. In 2007 he joined INX Media as chief strategy officer. He quit the company in 2009 and retired to Bristol. In No ...
in connection with the case. Rai has now been allowed to turn approver in the case after he was pardoned by the Bandra Magistrate Court in Mumbai. As of May 2017, Indrani, Peter, and Sanjeev have been lodged in Byculla Women's Prison and
Arthur Road Jail The Mumbai Central Prison, also referred to as Arthur Road Jail, was built in 1926, and is Mumbai's largest and oldest prison. It houses most of the city's prisoners. It was declared a Central Jail in 1972. Although its name was changed to Mumba ...
in Mumbai, respectively.


Shakti Mills Gang Rape

In August 2013, several men, including juveniles, were arrested by the Mumbai Police for the gang-rape of a photo journalist and a call center telephone operator. While they were praised for the swift action in catching the culprits, the department faced scrutiny for making the telephone operator go through the two-finger test. The culprits were charged under sections 376(d) for gang rape, 377 for unnatural offence, 120(b) for criminal conspiracy, sections 342 and 343 for wrongful restraint, section 506(2) for criminal intimidation and 34 for common intention and 201 for destruction of evidence under the
Indian Penal Code The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the official criminal code of the Republic of India, inherited from British India after independence. It remained in force until it was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in December 2023 ...
. While the juveniles were sentenced to 3 years in a reform home by the
Juvenile Justice Board Juvenile Justice Boards are Indian quasi-judicial bodies that decide whether juveniles accused of a crime should be tried as an adult. History Juvenile Justice Boards were formed by State Governments under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protec ...
, 3 of the adult culprits were given a death sentence for repeat offence. The death penalty was eventually commuted to life imprisonment without parole or remission in November 2021.


Equipment

Much of the equipment for the Mumbai Police are manufactured indigenously by the
Indian Ordnance Factories The Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination & Services) (abbreviated: DOO(C&S)) is an authority under the Department of Defence Production (DDP) of Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India. Its primary work is to management, give instructio ...
controlled by the
Ordnance Factories Board The Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination & Services) (abbreviated: DOO(C&S)) is an authority under the Department of Defence Production (DDP) of Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India. Its primary work is to management, give instructi ...
, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.


Weapons


Detail List of Mumbai police's Vehicles

72 speed boats have been also ordered.


Uniform

Peaked cap A peaked cap, peaked hat, service cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations, as well as many uniformed civilian organisations such as law enforcement agencies and fire departments. It d ...
s are worn with an orange band and crown that is less stiff such that it drops downwards. A khaki short sleeve shirt and long pants are worn by most members. The patch of the police force is visible, on the left arm.


Mumbai police in popular culture

Because
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
, India's Hindi language film industry, is primarily based in Mumbai, the Mumbai police has been frequently portrayed in films. Some of the prominent ones are listed below: * ''
Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
'' (2002) * '' Dum'' (2003) * '' Aan: Men at Work'' (2004) * ''
Ab Tak Chhappan ''Ab Tak Chhappan'' () is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film directed by Shimit Amin. It was written by Sandeep Shrivastava and produced by Ram Gopal Varma. It stars Nana Patekar, Revathi, Yashpal Sharma, Mohan Agashe, Nakul Vaid, a ...
'' (2004) * '' Black Friday'' (2004) * ''
Khakee ''Khakee'' () is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir action thriller film written and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi produced by Keshu Ramsay. The film revolves around an Indian police team on a mission to escort an accused terrorist from ...
'' (2004) * ''
Shootout at Lokhandwala ''Shootout at Lokhandwala'' is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by Apoorva Lakhia and produced by Sanjay Gupta, and Ekta Kapoor. Based on the 1991 Lokhandwala Complex shootout, a real-life gun battle bet ...
'' (2007) * ''
A Wednesday ''A Wednesday!'' is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film written and directed by Neeraj Pandey and produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Anjum Rizvi and Shital Bhatia under UTV Motion Pictures and Friday Filmworks. The film stars Naseeru ...
'' (2008) * ''
Mumbai Meri Jaan ''Mumbai Meri Jaan'' (translation: ''Mumbai, My Life'') is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Nishikant Kamat and produced by Ronnie Screwvala. It stars R. Madhavan, Irrfan Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal and Kay Kay Menon. I ...
'' (2008) *''
Slumdog Millionaire ''Slumdog Millionaire'' is a 2008 British drama film that is a loose adaptation of the novel '' Q & A'' (2005) by Indian author Vikas Swarup. It narrates the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik from the Juhu slums of Mumbai. Starring Dev Patel ...
'' (2008) * '' Department'' (2012) * '' Talaash'' (2012) * ''
Shootout at Wadala ''Shootout at Wadala'' is a 2013 Indian Action film, action-crime film written and directed by Sanjay Gupta (director), Sanjay Gupta. The film stars Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee, Tusshar Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut and Sonu Sood. It is ...
'' (2013) * ''
The Attacks of 26/11 ''The Attacks of 26/11'' is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Ram Gopal Varma, based on the book ''Kasab: The Face of 26/11'' by Rommel Rodrigues about Ajmal Kasab, then sole surviving perpetrator of the 2008 Mumbai at ...
'' (2013) * '' Singham Returns (2014) * ''
Ab Tak Chhappan 2 ''Ab Tak Chhappan 2'' () is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film produced by Raju Chada and Gopal Dalvi. The film is directed by Aejaz Gulab and scripted by Nilesh Girkar. The film stars Nana Patekar in the lead role. It also stars ...
'' (2015) * ''
Simmba ''Simmba'' is a List of Bollywood films of 2018, 2018 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez, Reliance Entertainment and Dharma Productions. The third installment of Shetty's Cop ...
'' (2018) * '' Darbar'' (2020) * ''
Mumbai Saga ''Mumbai Saga'' is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language action crime film directed by Sanjay Gupta and produced by T-Series. It features an ensemble cast of John Abraham, Emraan Hashmi, Kajal Aggarwal, Mahesh Manjrekar, Rohit Roy, Anjana Sukhani ...
'' (2021) * ''
Sooryavanshi ''Sooryavanshi'' is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language action drama film written and directed by Rohit Shetty in his writing debut and produced by Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Picturez, Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films. Based ...
'' (2021) * '' Jawan'' (2023) * ''
Singham Again ''Singham Again'' is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language action film written and directed by Rohit Shetty, who also co-produced it under Rohit Shetty Picturez, alongside Reliance Entertainment, Jio Studios and Devgn Films. Based on an original story ...
'' (2024) Most of these films are based on the operational groups most commonly known as Encounter Squads. Officers like
Pradeep Sharma Pradeep Sharma (born 1961) is a former officer in the police force of Mumbai, India. Sharma attained notability as an "encounter specialist" with the Mumbai Encounter Squad and was involved with the deaths of as many as 312 criminals. On 31 Au ...
, Vijay Salaskar, Praful Bhosale, Ravindra Angre etc. have previously headed these squads. Junior officers Hemant Desai, Ashok Khot, Sachin Waze, Daya Nayak, Uttam Bhosale etc. assisted them. The popular television show CID starring
Shivaji Satam Shivaji Satam (born 21 April 1950/1953) is an Indian television and film actor. He is best known for his role as ACP Pradyuman in the detective television series '' CID''. Early life and education Shivaji Satam attended school at the Antonio ...
,
Dayanand Shetty Dayanand Chandrashekhar Shetty (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian film and television actor and model, best known for his role as Senior Inspector Daya in India's longest-running television police procedural, '' CID''. He was inducted into t ...
,
Aditya Srivastava Aditya Srivastava is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films, television and theatre. He is best known for his role as Senior Inspector Abhijeet in India's longest-running television police procedural ''C.I.D. (Indian TV series), C.I.D.'' He ...
,
Dinesh Phadnis Dinesh Phadnis (2 November 1966 – 5 December 2023) was an Indian television actor. His most well-known work was playing the character of Inspector Fredericks in one of the longest running Indian TV shows, '' CID''. Apart from working as an ...
and produced by B. P. Singh, which aired on Sony Channel, has been based on the
Criminal Investigation Department The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is the branch of a police force to which most plainclothes criminal investigation, detectives belong in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth nations. A force's CID is disti ...
of Mumbai Police. The show was aired from 21 January 1998(pilot episode aired on 29 April 1997), until it concluded on 27 October 2018, and the show has consistently had top ratings. CID also had been featured in the
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
for having an episode of 111 minutes shot in October 2004 without a single cut. The second season of the show featuring the same cast(except Phadnis), returned to be telecasted starting from 21 December 2024.


Honours

The
Ashok Chakra The Ashoka Chakra (Transl: Ashoka's wheel) is an Indian symbol which is a depiction of the dharmachakra (English: "wheel of dharma"). It is so-called because it appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka the Great, most prominent among which is ...
, India's highest civilian honour during peace time, was conferred posthumously upon two Mumbai Police officers –
Hemant Karkare Hemant Kamlakar Karkare, () (12 December 1954 – 26 November 2008) was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2009, he was posthumously given the Ashoka Chakra, India's ...
and
Ashok Kamte Ashok Kamte AC (23 February 1965 – 26 November 2008) was an Indian police officer, serving as the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police supervising the Eastern region. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was ...
who were killed in the line of duty during the
2008 Mumbai attacks The 2008 Mumbai attacks, also referred to as 26/11 attacks, were a series of coordinated Islamic terrorism, Islamist terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist o ...
. Junior officers like Vijay Salaskar and Tukaram Omble were also posthumously awarded the
Ashok Chakra The Ashoka Chakra (Transl: Ashoka's wheel) is an Indian symbol which is a depiction of the dharmachakra (English: "wheel of dharma"). It is so-called because it appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka the Great, most prominent among which is ...
.


Notable achievements

The Cyber Crime App launched by Mumbai Police in 2019 registered 140,000 incidents within one year whereby 132,000 suspicious phone numbers were tracked. During the monsoon periods, several officers of Mumbai Police have been involved in filling potholes that were not filled by
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), or the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is the governing civic body of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra. Salman Khan Is Now Brand Ambassador of BMC from 2016. The BMC is India ...
, in order to facilitate a smooth traffic flow and to prevent road accidents/wrecks. The officers who fill the potholes have received praise, who themselves have criticized the BMC for inaction.


Other Initiatives

The Mumbai Police features a star studded show called Umang, which is organized to raise funds for welfare of their personnel, mostly lower-ranked ones. Several celebrities appear on the show every year to support the cause. Every year on the
World Environment Day World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. It is supported by many non-governmental organizations, businesses, government entities, and represents the ...
, the Mumbai Police organizes a mass cycling event on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link for awareness of clean environment and reducing pollution. However, due to safety reasons and for smoother traffic flow, bicycles are prohibited on the rest of the days of the year, and can be seized or impounded if riders disobey the norms or fail to pay the traffic penalties. On 10 October 2024, at the funeral of
Ratan Tata Ratan Naval Tata (28 December 1937 9 October 2024) was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist. He served as the chairman of Tata Group and Tata Sons from 1991 to 2012 and he held the position of interim chairman from October 2016 to Feb ...
, Mumbai Police delivered a ceremonial guard of honour and his body was wrapped in the Indian flag.


Controversies

The Mumbai Police has a history of corruption,
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...
, refusal to file reports, aligning with political entities, professional incompetence, as well as moral policing. The department has also been criticized for overworking and underworking of personnel, especially the constable and Sub-Inspector rank officials. However, in recent times, while situations have been changing, they have not been effective enough and still fall well below international standards, due to the use of the beyond outdated and colonial Police Act of 1861. The Mumbai Police has been long accused of taking bribes or in local lingo, 'hafta' from any person trying to run a business in lieu of turning a blind eye to various illegalities that the person is committing whether it is encroaching on public property or trying to get off the hook of a drug case. On 13 January 1982, dreaded gangster
Manya Surve Manohar Arjun “Manya” Surve (8 August 1944 – 11 January 1982), was an Indian gangster based in Mumbai. He was one of the educated gangsters who graduated from college and was well known for challenging and defeating existing gan ...
was killed in a shootout with Inspector Raja Tambat and ACP Isaque Bagwan, who fired five bullets into his chest and shoulder. Surve's death became known as Mumbai's first recorded
encounter killing Encounter killings, often simply referred to as encounters, is a euphemism used in South Asia to refer to extrajudicial killings by security forces. The officers typically described the incidents as a shootout situation, often allegedly starting ...
. The rate of encounter killings increased in the late 1980s and further rose after the 1993 Mumbai bombings; a total of 622 alleged criminals were killed in police encounters from 1982 to 2004. On 16 November 1991, the
Anti-Terrorism Squad An Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is a special counterterrorism unit present in several state police agencies of India including Maharashtra Police, Gujarat Police, Kerala Police, Uttar Pradesh Police, Rajasthan Police, Bihar Police, Jharkhan ...
, led by Additional Commissioner of Police
Aftab Ahmed Khan Aftab Ahmed Khan (27 February 1940 — 21 January 2022) was a former Indian people, Indian police officer (Indian Police Service, IPS) and politician from Mumbai. He is noted for his encounter killings of gangsters from the Mumbai organized cr ...
, laid siege on Lokhandwala Complex to capture gangster
Maya Dolas Maya Dolas (born Mahindra Dolas; 15 October 1966 — 16 November 1991) was an Indian gangster who was a big time crook and MC/BC and used to work for the D-Company don, Dawood Ibrahim. He was killed in an encounter at the 1991 Lokhandwala Comp ...
, and 6 others. Khan and his squad were criticized for firing 450 bullets which killed the gangsters, who refused to surrender. However, the ATS officers were exonerated following an inquiry. Right before the
1993 Bombay bombings The 1993 Bombay bombings was a series of 12 terrorist bombings that took place primarily in Hindu majority areas in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, on 12 March 1993. The single-day attacks resulted in 257 fatalities and 1,400 injuries. The ...
, Gul Mohammad, a small-time criminal, confessed to his role in the 1992 riots, his training in Pakistan, and a conspiracy underway to bomb major locations around the city, including the
Bombay Stock Exchange BSE Limited, also known as the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), is an Indian stock exchange based in Mumbai. It is the 6th largest stock exchange in the world by total market capitalization, exceeding $5 trillion in May 2024. Established with t ...
, Sahar International Airport and the Shiv Sena Bhavan. However, his conspiracy claim was dismissed by the police as a "mere bluff". The 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai have been ascribed to a large scale intelligence failure by Mumbai Police.The attack also exposed several other weaknesses, such as using antiquated weaponry from
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, poor marksmanship training, lack of a commando style force like the
SWAT A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
in the United States, as well as bureaucratic inefficiency when coordinating with the
National Security Guard The National Security Guard (NSG) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the primary counter-terrorism force of the Government of India. It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue ...
. Despite not having sophisticated weapons and body armor, the Mumbai Police was able to capture the lone gunman
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
at a roadblock near Girgaum Chowpatty. Another gunman, Ismail Khan was killed the shootout. In 2003-04 Telgi scam also known as fake-stamp scam broke out in which Mumbai's police commissioner R.S. Sharma came to be arrested along with many other senior officers

Another former police commissioner of Mumbai police Sanjay Pande came to be arrested in stock-exchange scam involving tapping of telephone lines of investors

Encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma came to be arrested in Antilia bomb scare case involving murder of Mansukh Hiren

Another encounter specialist
Daya Nayak Daya Nayak is an Indian Police officer of the Mumbai Police. He joined the department in 1995, and rose to fame as an encounter specialist in the late 1990s, as a member of the Detection Unit. Early life Daya Nayak was born in a Brahmin fami ...
absconded while anti-corruption bureau of Mumbai was seeking his custody

Nayak is now facing a criminal accusation of planting drugs upon some youngsters during his tenure with the Anti-terrorist Squad of Maharashtra Police. A reply filed by Director General of Police Housing Corporation (former Police Commissioner of Mumbai) Arup Patnaik has exposed land-grabbing offence by IASs, IPSs & Bombay High Court Judges wherein six prime plots of land reserved for service quarters of constabulary were usurped by private housing societies of the land-grabbing bureaucrats and judges of Bombay High Court. Three plots of land are located at Worli Sea Face while three are Western-Mumbai suburb Andheri west. This disclosure exposing the biggest organised land-grab operation by bureaucrats & judges was made by Director General of Police Housing Corporation Shri Arupji Patnaiksaheb in his reply to a Public Interest Litigation filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar

In October 2019, it was reported that the non-gazette police officials, mostly the constable rank personnel, who are the lowest ranked and least paid, did not have decent housing, and many of them who were allotted an official accommodation were not satisfied with it due to poor quality and insufficient maintenance. Following complaints and dissatisfaction by the constables and their families, the
Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority The Maharashtra Housing Board (MHB) was established in 1948 and had a jurisdiction over the entire State of Maharashtra except for the Vidarbha region. This body undertook construction of residential buildings under various housing schemes for di ...
began to redevelop police colonies to improve living conditions in 2023. On 13 March 2021, Senior Inspector
Sachin Vaze Sachin Hindurao Vaze () (born 22 February 1972) is a former Indian police officer who served as an Inspector#India, Assistant Police Inspector in Mumbai Police (under the Maharashtra Police). He was dismissed from service by Mumbai Police Comm ...
, an encounter specialist, was arrested for his involvement in the Antilia bomb scare. Through an investigation, Vaze revealed that he was acting at the behest of
Anil Deshmukh Anil Vasantrao Deshmukh (born 9 May 1950) is an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra. He is a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Deshmukh served as the Uddhav Thackeray ministry, Minister for Home ...
, who was then minister of Home Affairs. Vaze was also involved in collecting extortion money in December 2020 from members of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR). He would call from his office in the Commissioner of Police compound for monthly amounts and, if paid, would ensure that the Social Service Branch would not conduct raids. ''Mid-Day'' reported that a source said, "SSB carried out raids at hotels and bars and filed cases against them. The last SSB raid was in early February. After that, no raid was conducted as everybody agreed to pay the money to be able to operate." Vaze was previously involved in the custodial torture and death of Khwaja Yunus in 2004, a suspect in the 2002 Ghatkopar bombing case. The Mumbai Police Traffic Department has faced outrage and disparagement for harassing bicyclists and slapping hefty fines on them for riding on
Bandra–Worli Sea Link The Bandra–Worli Sea Link (officially known as Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link) is a 5.6 km long, 8-lane wide cable-stayed bridge that links Bandra in the Western Suburbs (Mumbai), Western Suburbs of Mumbai with Worli in South Mumbai. It is the second ...
, as well as for obstructing traffic on other roads due to slow speeds of riders. The fines for bicyclists riding on the Sea Link, as well as on the Trans Harbour Link, Eastern Freeway, the BKC-Chunabhatti flyover, and the Coastal Road is Rs 1200(US$15), which has been steeply set and does not conform to the standards of
Motor Vehicles Act The Motor Vehicles Act is an Act of the Parliament of India which regulates all aspects of road transport vehicles. The Act provides in detail the legislative provisions regarding licensing of drivers/conductors, registration of motor vehicles ...
due to non requirement of license, registration, insurance, and road tax; furthermore, refusal to pay and non-compliance has led to seizure of bicycles, detaining and assaulting of riders, deflating the tires, or towing away bicycles, which constitutes a misconduct by police personnel and violation of rights of those owning non-motorized/self-propelled vehicles. The penalties charged against bicyclists for riding on the prohibited areas as well as various other offenses under sections of the Motor Vehicles Act is unconstitutional and not authorized, as the Act is neither applicable to bicyclists, nor does it mandate any penalties against bicyclists. While penalties against motor vehicles such as two-wheelers, cars and heavy vehicles are mentioned for various offenses on Mumbai Police website as per the Motor Vehicles Act, they explicitly do not state any penalties against bicyclists for certain offenses. Despite not specified in the Motor Vehicles Act and not having the constitutional authority, the department has impounded and seized bicycles caught in traffic violations, including riding on prohibited roads, drunken pedaling/riding, obstructing traffic by performing stunts, and hit-and-run of law enforcement officials when trying to pull over bicyclists. The Mumbai Police has also slammed for incidents of moral policing, which have resulted in serious protests, as well as intervention of judiciary and senior officers - * In September 2000, the officials banned kissing in the Marine Drive area. They cited the Section 110 of Mumbai Police Act, 1951 which allows the police to interfere in "disorderly behaviour." The decree was later withdrawn after protests. * In 2012, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vasant Dhoble carried out a series of raids on bars and clubs in and around Mumbai, claiming to rescue prostitutes. In one instance, he labelled four German women wrongly as sex workers in front of cameras when he arrested them on 30 March 2014 from the Voodoo pub. On 5 June 2012, Dhoble raided Masala Curry restaurant after he felt suspicious of women being allowed free entry. Two cousins who were picked up in the raid later filed a defamation case against Dhoble. Due to intense criticism from several civilians, lawyers and activists, and following pressure on the department with lawsuits, Dhoble was fired from the Social Service Branch and transferred. * On 6 August 2015, Malwani police in
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
, raided hotels and guest houses near
Aksa Beach Aksa Beach is a popular beach and a vacation spot in Aksa village in Malad, Mumbai, India. It is situated close to Marvé Beach. It is a popular weekend destination and is dotted with many private cottages and hotels, some of which are rented ...
and
Madh Island Madh Island (Marathi pronunciation: əɖʱ is a group of several quaint fishing villages and farmlands in northern Mumbai. Geography The area is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, and Malad Creek on the east. There are s few beaches, suc ...
, and detained about 40 couples. Most of them were consenting couples in private rooms, but they were charged under Section 110 (Indecent behaviour in public) of the Bombay Police Act and fined . Only three cases were filed under Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act. Due to protests and criticism, then Commissioner Rakesh Maria order an investigation into the raids. Following a thorough investigation, Maria sent an order department wide not to use the Section 110 of the Bombay Police Act, 1951 as well as sections 292 to 294 of the
Indian Penal Code The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the official criminal code of the Republic of India, inherited from British India after independence. It remained in force until it was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in December 2023 ...
, which is an offense of Public Indecency to harass citizens and moral police them. * On 27 December 2015, a senior police inspector along with constable were caught moral policing and thrashing a youth, besides verbally abusing his female friend in Ulhasnagar. The act of moral policing was heavily criticized after a video of the thrashing went viral. * On 11 February 2024, 3 days before Valentines Day, several personnel from Mumbai police were accused of heckling and extorting money from the couples kissing or hugging in the gardens. Police personnel were keeping an eye on couples and harassed them if the couples were caught kissing or holding hands. The Mumbai Police has also faced condemnation from the judiciary,
National Human Rights Commission A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights. The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
, leaders of opposition, besides the general public for taking actions on the orders of political leaders. Additionally, the department has faced criticism for inaction against political leaders for offensive statements and those who have serious criminal charges against them. - * On 18 November 2012, following the death of
Shiv Sena Shiv Sena (1966–2022) (; ; SS) was a right-wing Marathi regionalist Hindutva-based political party in India founded in 1966 by Bal Thackeray, who was later succeeded by Uddhav Thackeray. The party is split into two parties: the Uddha ...
founder
Bal Thackeray Bal Thackeray (; 23 January 1926 – 17 November 2012), also known as Balasaheb Thackeray, was an Indian cartoonist and politician who founded the original Shiv Sena, a far-right, a pro- Marathi and a Hindu nationalist party active mainly in ...
, Mumbai Police, under the pressure of Shiv Sena workers and activists, arrested a 21-year-old woman who posted a Facebook comment against him, as well as her friend who "liked" the comment. The charges were subsequently dropped in January 2013, and in July 2014, the Government of Maharashtra was ordered to pay compensation of Rs 50,000 to each victim after the National Human Rights Commission noted that the detention was illegal and violated rights to freedom of speech and expression. * On 14 May 2022, Marathi television actress Ketaki Chitale was arrested by Mumbai Police for allegedly sharing an objectionable post about Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar. Chitale, who was molested, and her modesty was outraged by the NCP workers, and was later granted bail, was booked under IPC sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving defamatory matter) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code. * On 10 February 2025, the Mumbai Police issued summons and paid a visit to YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, for offensive and vulgar remarks on an episode of
India's Got Latent India's Got Latent was an Indian Hindi-language talent show hosted by Samay Raina on YouTube from 2024 to 2025. Inspired by the international ''Got Talent'' franchise and ''Kill Tony,'' it featured a wide variety of acts including singing, danc ...
, along with the host and comedian Samay Raina, and social media influencers Ashish Chanchlani, Apoorva Mukhija and Jaspreet Singh. While Allahbadia faced severe public criticism and issued a public apology, the department faced backlash for swift action against the show hosts and judges, as several critics and public figures stated that such quick action is not taken against political leaders who make such offensive, vulgar, and insensitive comments, and that law enforcement and judiciary acts quickly against such events, but not against crimes as serious as rape. * On 31 March 2025, the Mumbai Police faced criticism by comedian
Kunal Kamra Kunal Kamra (born 3 October 1988) is an Indian standup comedian and political satirist known for his observational comedy about absurdities of life. His performances include jokes about politics, cabbies, bachelor life and TV advertisements. ...
questioning the priorities of law enforcement, after some officers visited his old house following summons. Kamra posted on social media about the visit days after his video of his show calling Deputy Chief Minister
Eknath Shinde Eknath Sambhaji Shinde (born 9 February 1964) is an Indian politician who has served as the List of deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra since December 2024, alongside Ajit Pawar under Devendra Fadnavis. ...
a traitor went viral. As a result of his comment, the club where he made the comment was vandalized by
Shiv Sena Shiv Sena (1966–2022) (; ; SS) was a right-wing Marathi regionalist Hindutva-based political party in India founded in 1966 by Bal Thackeray, who was later succeeded by Uddhav Thackeray. The party is split into two parties: the Uddha ...
party workers. While Kamra faced charges under multiple sections of the
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (IAST: ''Bhāratīya Nyāya Saṃhitā;'' ) is the official criminal code of India. It came into effect on 01-July-2024, after being passed by Parliament in December 2023, replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC) ...
, including 353(1)(b), 353(2) (statements conducive to public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation), he refused to apologize for his comments. On 28 March, 2025, he was granted interim anticipatory bail by the
Madras High Court The High Court of Judicature at Madras is a High Courts of India, High Court located in Chennai, India. It has appellate jurisdiction over the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry. It is one of ...
, despite summons issued by the Mumbai Police and
Bombay High Court The High Court of Bombay is the High courts of India, high court of the States and union territories of India, states of Maharashtra and Goa in India, and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is seated primarily ...
.


Reforms and Major Overhauls

Due to several events that have caused negative reception of the Mumbai Police, the department has initiated several reforms for last several years to ensure better safety and security of the city. However, the core police functioning under the colonial Police Act of 1861 remains the same, which effectively negates accountability against personnel for misconduct. As a result of the November 2008 terrorist attacks, the Mumbai Police began to replace their
World War 2 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilisin ...
era
Lee–Enfield The Lee–Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the standard service rifle of th ...
self loading rifles with modern weapons. A new unit called Force One was also created on the lines of
SWAT A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
in the United States. Following an incident of moral policing committed by personnel of the Malwani Police station in June 2015, which caused major backlash and protests, then Commissioner Rakesh Maria passed an order to all police officers not to use the Section 110 of the Bombay Police Act, 1951 which is an offense of Public Indecency to harass citizens and moral police them. In September 2021, the Mumbai Police launched the Nirbhaya Squad, for women's safety throughout the city. The department also launched a helpline for immediate assistance at the number 103. In May 2022, the Mumbai Police implemented an 8-hour shift system for the constable rank officers and assistant sub-inspectors, and 16 hours of rest, after complaints of overworking without breaks caused a major toll on their health. Originally started as a pilot proposal in May 2016 by then Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar, it was made permanent, with several subordinate personnel appreciating the initiative.


See also

*
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
*
History of Mumbai Indigenous tribals have inhabited Mumbai (Bombay) since the Stone Age. The Kolis and Aagri (a Marathi-Konkani people) were the earliest known settlers of the islands. Between the 2nd century BCE and 10th century CE, the islands came under the ...
*
Mumbai Fire Brigade The Mumbai Fire Brigade is the fire department, fire brigade serving the city of Mumbai, India. It is responsible for the provision of fire protection as well as responding to building collapses, drownings, gas leakage, oil spillage, road and ...
*
Maharashtra Police Maharashtra Police (IAST: ''Mahārāṣṭra Polīs Sēvā'', formerly '' Bombay State Police'') is the law enforcement agency responsible for the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is headed by Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla (IPS), an ...
*
Sheriff of Mumbai The Sheriff of Bombay is an apolitical titular position of authority bestowed for one year on a prominent citizen of Bombay. The sheriff is an officer of the High Court and the nominal Head of the High Court Department which carries out the or ...


Literature

* Kadam, B. S. Sri; ''Socio-Historical Study Of Police Administration in Bombay Presidency (1861 to 1947);'' Kolhapur 1993 (Diss. Shivaji University) * Kennedy, M. ''Notes On Criminal Classes in the Bombay Presidency Appendices regarding some Foreign Criminals who occasionally visit the Presidency: Including Hints on the Detection of Counterfeit Coin;'' Bombay 1908 * Edwardes, Stephen M. (Commissioner of Police); ''The Bombay City Police: A Historical Sketch, 1672–1916; '' Bombay u.a. 1923 * Edwardes, Stephen M.; ''Crime in India: Brief Review of the more Important Offences included in the Annual Criminal Returns with Chapters on Prostitution & Miscellaneous Matters;'' Oxford u.a. 1924 * Statistiken: gedruckt im: ''Annual Report of Police for the Town and Island of Bombay,'' laufende Monatsstatistiken au
Mumbai Police


Notes


References


External links


Official website of the Mumbai Police

Mumbai Traffic Police, Official website
{{Use dmy dates, date=August 2019 Maharashtra Police Organisations based in Mumbai 1864 establishments in British India de:Bombay City Police#Mumbai Police