Complaints against senior Maharashtra cops spike 313 per cent in two years

A senior SPCA official confirmed that the complaints relate to officers from ACP level upward, including IPS officers. File pic

Misconduct complaints against senior police officers, including those of assistant commissioner of police (ACP) rank and above as well as IPS officers, have risen at an alarming rate, recording a 313 per cent spike in just two years, according to exclusive data from the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA). A total of 240 complaints were registered in 2025, compared to 171 in 2024 and 58 in 2023. The cases involve serious allegations such as misuse of power, wrongful detention, harassment, extortion, negligence, and procedural violations.

A senior SPCA official confirmed that the complaints relate to officers from the ACP level upward, including IPS officers. Alongside rising complaints, pending inquiries have also grown sharply, from just two cases in 2020 to one hundred in 2025.

Recent incident

Recently, the SPCA dismissed a complaint against an ACP due to insufficient evidence but found an assistant police inspector (API) from RA Kidwai Marg police station guilty of serious misconduct. The authority directed the state government to initiate disciplinary action. According to the SPCA order dated October 16, the complainant, a retired customs superintendent, alleged that the API delayed filing an FIR for more than five months in a Rs 40 lakh cheating case, violating the Supreme Court's Lalita Kumari guidelines. The API reportedly failed to complete the preliminary inquiry on time, did not maintain mandatory diary entries and showed a lack of transparency.

Several cases involve serious accusations that require detailed scrutiny. PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

The SPCA found credible evidence, including the testimony of an advocate, that the API demanded twenty per cent of the settlement amount, a water cooler and even help in arranging a cruise party for one hundred and fifty police personnel. These allegations were deemed proved and categorised as corruption under Section 22Q(1)(a)(v) of the Maharashtra Police Act. However, the ACP was given a clean chit as no misconduct was established. The findings have been forwarded to the additional chief secretary (home) for disciplinary action against the API.

Satara case

In another matter, the SPCA recommended disciplinary action against four police personnel, including the then superintendent of police of Satara district, for failing to register an FIR against a Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau officer accused of assaulting a junior colleague in May 2024. Despite receiving a written complaint, the FIR was not filed. The SPCA held the officers responsible for dereliction of duty and directed the state government to treat the findings as a preliminary inquiry.

Expert's view

Praveen Dixit, former director general of police, Maharashtra, said, "People must start using e-complaints for cyber and cheating offences. Platforms like RBI's Sachet and the ACB app exist, but citizens are often unaware of them or simply do not use them. Human intervention leaves room for delays or mistakes, so electronic systems should be strengthened. Many complaints arise because people do not understand the difference between cognisable and non-cognisable offences.

Police cannot act in civil matters. Housing society disputes and neighbourhood quarrels are often reported to the police because people assume the police are the only agency available. This leads to misunderstandings when no action follows. Awareness must be increased so that citizens file e-complaints and use proper channels, allowing the police to handle the cases that genuinely fall under their jurisdiction."

YP Singh, a former IPS officer, said, "Awareness among the people has increased. Earlier, people used to complain to Lokayukta and Human Rights Commission. I think the flow of those complaints should be diverted to the SPCA."

What is the SPCA?

Formed in 2014, in compliance with Supreme Court directives in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India (2006) judgment, this independent body investigates serious misconduct allegations against police personnel. It can examine cases involving abuse of power, illegal detention, corruption, refusal to register FIRs and other violations.

After completing inquiries, the SPCA sends its findings to the state government for action. The authority is headquartered in Mumbai and headed by Justice (Retd) Shrihari Davare, with divisional offices across the state.

Here's how you can file a complaint against cops

1 Identify your grievance
>> Misconduct
>> Abuse of power
>> Negligence
>> Unfair treatment
>> Any improper action by police personnel

2 Provide your details
>> Full name
>> Permanent address
>> Contact number
>> Aadhaar number

3 Describe the incident
>> What happened?
>> Date, time and location
>> Names, ranks and posting details of the officers involved
>> Clear narration of facts

4 Attach Evidence
>> Documents
>> Photos
>> Audio or video clips
>> CDs or pen drives
>> Any material allowed under the Indian Evidence Act

5 Add a declaration
Self-attested statement confirming all details are true

6 Where to file the complaint
SPCA's Mumbai Headquarters

Complaints can be made against
>> ACP rank and above
>> IPS officers

Divisional authorities
Located in
>> Navi Mumbai
>> Nashik
>> Pune
>> Nagpur
>> Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
>> Amravati

Handles complaints against
Officers below ACP rank

7 Submit Your Complaint
Submit in-person at the respective SPCA office only. No online complaints are entertained

8 What happens next
>> Preliminary scrutiny by the authority
>> Further action is taken based on findings