Punjab Government Transfers 12 IPS Officers in Major Reshuffle; V Neeraja Named Special DGP (NRI), Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal Takes Charge of Cyber Crime
Punjab Government has transferred 12 IPS officers with immediate effect. V Neeraja becomes Special DGP (NRI), Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal takes over as ADGP Cyber Crime with additional charge of Jails, while key postings reshape police leadership across Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar.
Punjab Police Leadership Gets Fresh Look as Government Orders 12 IPS Transfers
The Punjab Government has carried out a significant reshuffle in the state’s police leadership, transferring and posting 12 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers with immediate effect. The administrative exercise has brought changes across some of the most sensitive wings of the Punjab Police, including NRI affairs, Cyber Crime, Jails, Internal Vigilance, Anti-Narcotics, Internal Security and several commissionerates handling law and order in major cities.
Issued by the Department of Home Affairs, Home-I Branch, the transfer order redistributes responsibilities among senior and mid-level officers while also assigning additional charges to several officials. The reshuffle affects the police leadership in Chandigarh, SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Sri Muktsar Sahib, ensuring continuity in critical operational assignments across the state.
Among the most notable decisions is the appointment of 1994-batch IPS officer V Neeraja as Special Director General of Police (NRI), while 1997-batch IPS officer Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal has been moved to head Punjab’s Cyber Crime wing, retaining his additional responsibility as ADGP, Jails.
The government has instructed all officers concerned to assume charge of their new assignments without delay.
V Neeraja Moves from Cyber Crime to Special DGP (NRI)
One of the biggest highlights of the reshuffle is the posting of V Neeraja, a 1994-batch IPS officer, as Special DGP, NRI, Punjab, with headquarters at SAS Nagar. Before this appointment, Neeraja was serving as Special DGP, Cyber Crime.
She now replaces Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal in the NRI wing, a department that plays an important role in addressing grievances of overseas Punjabis, coordinating investigations involving non-resident Indians and handling cases with international dimensions.
Her appointment places an experienced senior officer at the helm of a department that regularly deals with property disputes, fraud complaints and legal coordination involving the Punjabi diaspora spread across multiple countries.
The shift also reflects the government’s effort to place seasoned officers in positions that require both administrative experience and effective coordination across agencies.
Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal Takes Charge of Cyber Crime
Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, a 1997-batch IPS officer, has been entrusted with a crucial new responsibility as ADGP, Cyber Crime, Punjab, with headquarters at SAS Nagar. Until now, Jaiswal was serving as ADGP, NRI while also holding additional charge of ADGP, Jails.
Under the latest order, he will continue overseeing the Jails department even as he assumes leadership of Punjab’s cyber crime apparatus. The assignment carries considerable significance.
Cyber fraud, digital financial crimes, online scams and technology-enabled offences have grown rapidly across India, making cyber policing one of the fastest-evolving areas of law enforcement. With Jaiswal retaining responsibility for prisons alongside cyber crime, he will oversee two critical branches that require constant coordination and strategic planning.
Nanak Singh Gets Additional Vigilance Responsibility
The reshuffle has also expanded the responsibilities of Nanak Singh, a 2011-batch IPS officer. Currently serving as DIG, Ropar Range, he has been given the additional charge of DIG, Internal Vigilance Cell, Punjab, based in Chandigarh.
He will continue leading the Ropar Range while simultaneously supervising the Internal Vigilance Cell, which plays an important role in maintaining integrity within the police force by examining complaints and internal accountability matters. The dual assignment adds another layer of responsibility to his existing operational role.
Vatsala Gupta Shifted to Personnel Wing
Another significant change involves Vatsala Gupta, a 2016-batch IPS officer. She has been posted as AIG, Pers-II, Punjab, in Chandigarh after serving as Commandant of the 27th Battalion PAP, Jalandhar.
Her earlier assignment also included additional responsibilities as AIG, ANTF, Ludhiana and AIG, ARP & SDRF, Jalandhar. With the latest posting, she moves into the Personnel branch, a key administrative division that deals with service-related matters concerning police personnel across the state.Her transfer also results in the relinquishment of her additional ANTF responsibilities.
Pragya Jain Gets Dual Responsibility
The government has entrusted Pragya Jain, a 2017-batch IPS officer, with two important assignments simultaneously. She has been posted as AIG, Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Ludhiana Range, and has also been given additional charge as AIG, Internal Security, Punjab, at Ludhiana.
The combined responsibility places her at the intersection of two crucial policing domains. Punjab continues to maintain a strong focus on anti-drug operations, making the ANTF one of the state’s most active enforcement units.
Alongside narcotics enforcement, her Internal Security role involves coordination on broader security-related matters. Following this arrangement, Vatsala Gupta has been relieved of her additional charge as AIG, ANTF.
Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar See Major Changes
The reshuffle has substantially altered leadership positions across Punjab’s major commissionerates, particularly in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. Several officers from the 2020 batch have received important operational assignments.
Arvind Meena, previously serving as SP Headquarters, Ropar, has been appointed DCP, Law & Order, Ludhiana, placing him in charge of one of the state’s busiest urban policing environments.
Akarshi Jain, who earlier served as ADCP-I, Jalandhar, has been transferred as DCP, Headquarters, Amritsar. Jasroop Kaur Batth, earlier posted as ADCP-III, Amritsar, has been shifted as DCP, Law & Order, Jalandhar, taking charge of a critical operational position.
Aditya S. Warrier, previously SP, Investigation, Amritsar Rural, has been appointed DCP, City, Jalandhar, bringing investigative experience into an important urban policing role.
These appointments reshape leadership across three of Punjab’s most significant cities and are expected to strengthen operational management in commissionerate policing.
Jayant Puri Heads to Amritsar Investigation Wing
The reshuffle also brings a change in Amritsar’s investigation leadership. Jayant Puri, a 2021-batch IPS officer, has been transferred from ADCP, Investigation, Jalandhar, to ADCP, Investigation, Amritsar.
He replaces Jagbinder Singh, PPS, in the assignment. The posting places Puri at the forefront of criminal investigations in one of Punjab’s most prominent commissionerates, where investigative efficiency remains central to policing.
Ashok Meena Assigned Sri Muktsar Sahib Investigation Work
Ashok Meena, a 2022-batch IPS officer, has received additional operational responsibility. Earlier serving as ASP, SD North, Jalandhar, he has now been directed to look after the work of SP, Investigation, Sri Muktsar Sahib.
He replaces Manmeet Singh, PPS, in the role. The assignment provides another opportunity for a young IPS officer to handle investigation-related responsibilities at the district level.
Dharavath Sai Prakash Takes Charge in Ludhiana
Another young officer receiving an expanded role is Dharavath Sai Prakash, a 2022-batch IPS officer. Previously posted as ASP, Intelligence, he has now been directed to look after the work of ADCP-III, Ludhiana.
He replaces Dev Singh, PPS, in the assignment. The posting strengthens Ludhiana’s operational leadership while adding another significant field responsibility to the officer’s portfolio.
Immediate Joining Ordered
The Home Department has directed every officer included in the transfer order to report to their new assignments immediately. The reshuffle represents a broad administrative realignment across Punjab Police, affecting strategic leadership positions in NRI affairs, cyber policing, prison administration, vigilance, anti-narcotics operations and internal security.
At the same time, the changes refresh operational command in key commissionerates such as Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar, where law and order management, investigations and urban policing remain central priorities for the state’s security
