Mumbai: In a major legal relief for former Mumbai Police Commissioner and former Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Pandey (Retd IPS:1986:MH), the Bombay High Court on May 20, 2026 quashed an FIR registered against him in connection with allegations of coercion and filing of false complaints.
The FIR had accused Pandey of allegedly pressuring a businessman into filing false complaints against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The High Court also quashed the FIR against lawyer and former special public prosecutor Shekhar Jagtap along with other accused named in the case.
Allegations Against Sanjay Pandey
The case was registered in Thane in 2024 following a complaint by a businessman who alleged that Sanjay Pandey had reopened a case against him and coerced him into making false statements and filing fabricated complaints against senior political leaders in Maharashtra.
According to the complainant, pressure was allegedly exerted during Pandey’s tenure to pursue politically sensitive allegations involving top state leadership.
High Court Quashes FIR
During the hearing, Sanjay Pandey’s counsel, advocate Rahul Kamerkar, argued that there was an unexplained delay in lodging the FIR and questioned the legitimacy and timing of the allegations.
After hearing the matter, the Bombay High Court quashed the FIR against Pandey, Shekhar Jagtap and others, providing major relief to the former IPS officer.
The detailed observations of the court are awaited.
About Ex-IPS Sanjay Pandey
Mr Pandey, born around 1962 in UP, is a 1986-batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, where he completed his B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering (1979–1983), followed by a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (1998–1999).
Known for his tough policing style, he gained recognition for maintaining peace in Dharavi during the 1992–93 Mumbai riots and handling high-profile cases like the “cobbler scam.” Mr Pandey resigned in 2000, worked in the private sector as Global Head of Cyber Security at Tata Consultancy Services, and founded iSec Services Private Limited in 2003, before rejoining the police in 2011. Rising through the ranks, he served as acting DGP of Maharashtra in 2021 and as Mumbai Police Commissioner in 2022 until his retirement in June 2022.
Post-retirement, he joined the Congress party in 2024 and expressed intent to contest elections. Pandey has been involved in several controversies, including his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the NSE phone-tapping and money-laundering case, for which he spent around five months in judicial custody. Recently, a special investigation report by outgoing DGP Rashmi Shukla has accused him of attempting to falsely implicate Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in the 2016 Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) scam, sparking fresh political and legal scrutiny.
Sanjay Pandey’s career has been marked by high-profile postings and controversies:
- DGP Maharashtra & Mumbai Police Commissioner: Appointed acting DGP in April 2021, later removed in February 2022. Retired in June 2022.
- Earlier Arrests: In 2022, Pandey was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the NSE phone tapping and money laundering case, spending five months in judicial custody.
Political Career: Joined the Congress Party in 2024 with plans to contest Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Sanjay Pandey’s Career
Sanjay Pandey, a 1986-batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, served as the Commissioner of Mumbai Police and later retired as Maharashtra DGP. Over his long administrative career, he held several key policing and intelligence assignments in the state.
The case had drawn significant public and political attention because of the allegations involving senior political leaders and the former Mumbai Police chief.
