Meet the Spiritual Policeman Who Takes Charge as Delhi Police Chief

In a major development for the national capital, Senior IPS officer Shashi Bhushan Kumar (SBK) Singh has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner of Delhi, marking the end of a three-year phase during which Delhi Police chiefs were appointed from outside the AGMUT cadre. Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer, took charge on July 31, 2025, succeeding Sanjay Arora. With a career spanning over three decades, Singh brings to the office a blend of experience, reformist zeal, and technological vision, promising a new chapter for the Delhi Police.

Appointment and First Day in Office

On Thursday evening, SBK Singh officially assumed office at the Delhi Police Headquarters, arriving after 4 p.m. He was welcomed with a guard of honour and later took charge in the presence of outgoing chief Sanjay Arora, who formally handed over the reins. Singh, currently serving as the Director General of Home Guards, will hold the additional charge of Delhi Police Commissioner.

His appointment is significant as it ends the streak of external appointments since 2022, when chiefs like Rakesh Asthana (Gujarat cadre) and Sanjay Arora (Tamil Nadu cadre) headed the Delhi Police.

Singh, the youngest officer of his batch, is scheduled to retire on January 31, 2026.

Academic Background: A Stephen’s Alumnus

SBK Singh’s journey to the top began at St Stephen’s College, Delhi University, where he graduated in Physics (Honours).

After completing his undergraduate degree, Singh joined the Indian Police Service in 1986.

To strengthen his administrative acumen, he later pursued an MBA in Human Resource Management from IGNOU, a move that reflected his focus on leadership and organizational reforms.

A Distinguished Career in Policing

Early Career and Key Investigations

Singh began as an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Central Delhi, later serving as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Arunachal Pradesh in 1992. Over the years, he supervised several high-profile cases, including,

• The Uphaar cinema fire tragedy, where he served as Additional DCP (South).
• The Ponty Chadha murder case, a politically sensitive investigation.
• The Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal, which shook the cricketing world.
• He also held the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in both Central and Northeast Delhi, tackling crime and communal sensitivities with efficiency.

Technological and Strategic Contr૩ibutions

• As Special Commissioner of Police (Technology and Project Implementation), Singh introduced forward-looking reforms:
• Spearheaded the Safe City Project and Intelligent Traffic Monitoring System.
• Launched a QR-code-based feedback system for police station visitors.
• Partnered with IIT-Delhi to develop the Digital Trucking Radio System.
• In his role as Special CP (Law and Order – North), Singh successfully ensured communal peace and introduced a Public Facilitation Desk to improve citizen-police relations.
• As Special CP (Security), he was instrumental in securing major events like:
• The 2015 Republic Day parade, attended by then US President Barack Obama.
• The Indo-Africa Summit, which hosted leaders from 54 countries.

Crime Branch and Economic Offences

During his tenure as Joint Commissioner (Crime Branch), Singh,

• Launched the award-winning ‘Lost Report’ app, making reporting lost documents easier.
• Collaborated with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to curb fake currency circulation.
• Improved ATM security systems to prevent fraud.
• As head of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), he supervised major probes into land scams, bank frauds, and cybercrime cases, introducing the OTP system for banks to reduce fraud.