New Delhi: Senior Indian Police Service officer A V Deshpande (IPS: 2006: AGMUT) has been appointed as the Joint Commissioner of Police at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in a significant posting in the Delhi Police establishment.
IPS Deshpande takes over the important assignment following the transfer of Veenu Bansal (IPS: 2004: AGMUT), who was serving as Joint Commissioner of Police at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The latest move comes amid changes in the Delhi Police’s senior-level deployment.
The 2006-batch AGMUT officer is a State Police Service (SPS) promotee from Goa and has held several important responsibilities in the Delhi Police as well as other parts of the AGMUT cadre.
Gets Key Rashtrapati Bhawan Assignment
IPS Deshpande’s appointment places him in charge of an important policing responsibility associated with the security and policing arrangements around Rashtrapati Bhawan, one of the country’s most sensitive institutional locations.
According to the information provided, the latest administrative move was made following the recommendation of the Police Establishment Board, with the Delhi Lieutenant Governor moving Bansal out of the Rashtrapati Bhawan assignment and attaching him to Delhi Police Headquarters.
The change brings Deshpande into another high-profile assignment after his tenure as Joint CP, Operations, in the Delhi Police.
Who Is A V Deshpande?
Mr Deshpande (Atmaram V Deshpande) entered the IPS through promotion from the State Police Service and has Goa as his home state.
Born on July 31, 1968, he holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree, and was inducted into the IPS on November 24, 2011.
His career has included important responsibilities in Goa, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Delhi.
From Goa Police to the IPS
IPS Deshpande’s policing career has its roots in Goa, where he served in several capacities before moving into senior leadership roles.
His career includes service within the Goa police establishment, including responsibilities associated with police training. His experience in the state police system preceded his induction into the IPS as an SPS promotee in 2011.
His elevation into the IPS subsequently opened the way for assignments across the AGMUT cadre, including postings outside Goa.
The official IPS Civil List records his IPS induction date as November 24, 2011, while his service details identify him as an SPS officer from Goa.
Service Across AGMUT Cadre
Before his major Delhi assignments, Mr Deshpande served in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The official IPS Civil List records him as SP, AC & PMF, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, before his subsequent movement into Delhi.
In October 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered his transfer from DNH&DD to Delhi, along with other AGMUT cadre IPS officers. The government order specifically lists A V Deshpande (2006) among the officers transferred to Delhi.
This marked another important phase of his career in the national capital.
Promoted as Joint CP and Given Operations Charge
Mr Deshpande’s rise in the Delhi Police hierarchy accelerated in January 2024. During a major reshuffle of senior IPS and DANIPS officers, he was promoted and posted as Joint Commissioner of Police, Operations. The reshuffle placed him among several senior officers taking charge of important operational and administrative wings of the Delhi Police.
The official 2025 IPS Civil List subsequently recorded him as Joint CP, Operations, Delhi Police, at Pay Level 14, with an additional responsibility related to Licensing.
Joint CP, Operations With Licensing Responsibility
IPS Deshpande’s operational responsibilities were further expanded in July 2025, when he was given the additional charge of the Licensing unit of the Delhi Police.
A July 2025 reshuffle listed him as Joint CP, Operations (PCR & Communication) with additional charge of Licensing.
The assignment reflected the range of responsibilities handled by the officer, spanning operational policing as well as an important regulatory function of the Delhi Police.
The draft 2026 IPS Civil List also records Deshpande as Joint CP, Operations, with additional charge of Licensing, at Pay Level 14, and lists his service honours.
Earlier Delhi Police Responsibilities
Mr Deshpande had also served in senior headquarters-related responsibilities before being elevated to Joint CP.
In the January 2024 reshuffle, he was identified as Additional CP, Headquarters, before being promoted and posted as Joint CP, Operations.
His career in Delhi therefore reflects a progression through headquarters, operational and specialised responsibilities before his latest assignment at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Medals and Service Honours
IPS Deshpande has also been recognised for his service.
He was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service (PMMS) in 2013. He was subsequently awarded the Police Special Duty Medal (PSDM) in 2016, with a first bar added in 2017.
The 2025 IPS Civil List similarly records the following honours against his service profile:
- PMMS – 2013
- Police Special Duty Medal – 2016
- First Bar to PSDM – 2017
These distinctions form part of his long policing career spanning the state police system and the IPS.
A Career Spanning Policing, Operations and Administration
His career trajectory has taken him from the Goa police establishment to senior positions across the AGMUT cadre and subsequently to important assignments in Delhi Police.
His postings have included responsibilities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, DNH&DD and Delhi, followed by senior Delhi Police assignments involving headquarters, operations, PCR and communication, and licensing.
His appointment as Joint CP, Rashtrapati Bhawan, therefore adds another significant chapter to a career that has progressively moved into senior leadership responsibilities within the Delhi Police.
Another High-Sensitivity Assignment in Delhi Police
The Rashtrapati Bhawan assignment is among the sensitive responsibilities within the Delhi Police structure, given the importance of the location and the security arrangements associated with the President of India.
With Mr Deshpande now taking charge, the 2006-batch AGMUT officer moves from his recent operational responsibilities to a role requiring close coordination of policing and security arrangements in and around the Rashtrapati Bhawan complex.
His experience in operations, headquarters functions and specialised policing responsibilities is expected to form an important part of his new assignment.
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