Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Tuesday carried out a major reshuffle of the state’s police leadership, transferring 28 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and five West Bengal Police Service (WBPS) officers. The exercise, involving 33 officers, marks the second major police reshuffle since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government assumed office in May 2026.
According to an official notification, the transfers span several key positions across the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Intelligence, Traffic, Special Task Force (STF), Kolkata Police, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate and district police units. A senior Home Department official described the exercise as a routine administrative measure undertaken in the public interest to strengthen policing and improve administrative efficiency.
N.R. Babu Appointed CID Chief; Supratim Sarkar Shifted
One of the most significant changes is the appointment of N.R. Babu, who was serving as Director General of Correctional Services, as the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP), Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He will continue to hold the additional charge of the Correctional Services Department.
Meanwhile, Supratim Sarkar, who was serving as Additional Director General (CID), has been transferred and posted as Additional Director General, Telecommunications.
Sarkar had earlier served as the Commissioner of Kolkata Police before being transferred by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections held in April this year.
Leadership Change in Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate
The reshuffle has also brought a significant change in the leadership of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.
Tripurari Atharv, the incumbent Commissioner of Bidhannagar Police, has been posted as Additional Director General (Traffic and Road Safety).
He will be succeeded by Rathore Amitkumar Bharat (Amit Kumar Rathod), who was serving as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Raiganj Range and has now been appointed as the Commissioner of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.
K. Jayaraman Moves to Directorate of Economic Offences
Senior IPS officer K. Jayaraman (IPS:1997), who was serving as ADG & Inspector General, North Bengal, has been transferred as Director of the Directorate of Economic Offences (DEO).
Jayaraman was recently appointed as the Member Secretary of one of the judicial commissions constituted by the state government to investigate allegations of institutional corruption during the previous Trinamool Congress administration.
Changes in STF, Home Guards and North Bengal
The transfer order also includes several important changes in the state’s specialised police units.
Praveen Kumar Tripathi, who was serving as Inspector General of Police, Special Task Force (STF), has been appointed as the Inspector General of Home Guards.
Sukesh Kumar Jain, earlier Inspector General, Criminal Investigation and Coordination Wing (CCW), has been posted as the Inspector General of North Bengal Range.
Within Kolkata Police, V.S.R. Anantanag, currently serving as Joint Commissioner (Administration), has been entrusted with the additional responsibility of Joint Commissioner, STF.
Meanwhile, Dinesh Kumar, who was serving as Joint Commissioner, STF, has been transferred as Deputy Inspector General, Barasat Range, while also holding the additional charge of DIG, STF.
District Police Also Witness Key Changes
The reshuffle extends beyond senior headquarters and commissionerates to district police leadership as well.
Yelwar Srikant Jagannathrao, who was serving as Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police, has been appointed as the Superintendent of Police (SP), Darjeeling.
In a corresponding move, Pratiksha Jharkharia, who was serving as SP, Darjeeling, has been transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Kolkata Armed Police (KAP), 1st Battalion.
Apart from these postings, several Inspectors General (IGs), Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), Joint Commissioners of Police (JCPs), Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), Superintendents of Police (SPs) and Additional Superintendents of Police (Addl. SPs) have also been shifted under the latest transfer order.
Second Major Police Reshuffle Since May
This is the second large-scale reshuffle undertaken by the BJP-led government after assuming office in May 2026.
Earlier, on June 8, the government had transferred nearly 170 IPS and WBPS officers, making it one of the biggest administrative exercises in recent years.
Soon after taking office, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also announced the constitution of two commissions headed by retired judges of the Calcutta High Court to probe allegations of institutional corruption and crimes against women during the previous government.
The latest reshuffle is being viewed as part of the government’s continuing efforts to reorganise the police administration and streamline law enforcement across the state.
‘Routine Transfers in Public Interest’
Commenting on the exercise, a senior Home Department official said the transfers were carried out in the interest of strengthening administration.
“The entire process has been carried out in the public interest. These routine transfers aim to accelerate administrative work and further strengthen the policing system. All officers have been directed to assume charge of their new assignments at the earliest,” the official said.
