Just two days before Daya Nayak's retirement, he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), following his service as Senior Inspector in the Bandra unit or Unit IX of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch
Daya Nayak (above), who joined the force in 1995 as a sub-inspector, earned a reputation for his role in eliminating over 80 gangsters and underworld gang members during his tenure. Pic/X
Mumbai Police's Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Daya Nayak, widely known as one of Maharashtra’s most prominent “encounter specialists”, retired on Thursday after completing 30 years of service in the force.
Retirement Announcement
— DAYA NAYAK (@DayaBNayak) July 31, 2025
After 31 years of dedicated service in the police department, I retire today with deep pride and gratitude. In what feels like a fitting culmination to a fulfilling career, I was promoted to the post of Assistant Commissioner of Police just two days… pic.twitter.com/lgqskfHlzL
Daya Nayak, who joined the force in 1995 as a sub-inspector, earned a reputation for his role in eliminating over 80 gangsters and underworld gang members during his tenure.
Just two days before his retirement, he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), following his service as Senior Inspector in the Bandra unit or Unit IX of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch.
As the Senior Police Inspector with the Mumbai Crime Branch, Daya Nayak probed and assisted top Mumbai police officials in several high-profile cases, including firing outside Bollywood star Salman Khan's home and attack on Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra home.
In one of the major operation led by Nayak, earlier this month, the Mumbai Crime Branch had busted a high-value drug racket and seized four kilograms of American hydroponic cannabis — a premium, lab-cultivated form of marijuana—and also arrested three individuals.
Acting on a tip-off, the police raided a hotel room in Andheri (East) and arrested three individuals.
The operation was spearheaded by Senior Inspector Daya Nayak and his team from Unit 9 of the Crime Branch, who meticulously planned the raid following a credible intelligence input.
The total value of the seized contraband was estimated at Rs 4.05 crore, making it one of the largest narcotic seizures in the city this year.
“This form of cannabis is often smuggled into India due to its premium quality and is typically sold at exorbitant prices in urban black markets,” said an officer attached to the Crime Branch.
Throughout his career, Daya Nayak served in several high-profile units, including the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He was part of the investigative team that cracked the 2021 Antilia bomb scare case, involving an explosives-laden vehicle found near the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, and the subsequent murder of vehicle owner Mansukh Hiren, reported the PTI.
In the same year, Nayak was transferred to Gondia district, but continued with the ATS after the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) stayed the transfer order.
A similar incident occurred in 2019, when another transfer order removing him from Mumbai was held back by the state government.
Over the years, Daya Nayak gained legendary status in Mumbai policing history for his tough stance on crime and underworld activities, particularly during the height of gang violence in the city.
(with PTI inputs)
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