Centre Removes Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha Reportedly Over "Unprofessional" Handling of CJP Protest, IPS Anurag Kumar Takes Charge

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ON JULY 17, 2026, the Centre appointed Delhi's new Police Commissioner, replacing Satish Golcha, a 1992-batch IPS officer. The new Commissioner of Police, Delhi, is Anurag Kumar, a 1994-batch IPS officer. The sudden shift in the power structure came amid the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Anurag Kumar's appointment as the Delhi Police Commissioner has sparked turmoil on the internet, with many questioning why Satish Golcha was removed from his post so unexpectedly. On July 18, 2026, Kumar's first operation after taking charge was shifting Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi as he entered the 21st day of his hunger strike in support of the CJP-led protest against Dharmendra Pradhan following the controversial NEET exam paper leak and the ripple effect it caused.

See Also: 'Like Father, Like Son': 42 Years Ago, Indira Gandhi Met Sonam Wangchuk's Father, Sonam Wangyal, After He Went on a Hunger Strike Demanding ST Status for the People of Ladakh

As per an exclusive report by India Today, Golcha's removal is reportedly connected to the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar and the police force's administrative decisions, including its handling of the protest.

The report further stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs' decision to replace Golcha might also be linked to some ‘corruption cases and other law-and-order incidents involving police personnel.’ Anurag Kumar has been appointed as the Delhi Police Commissioner for a tenure of three years. His predecessor, Satish Golcha, had served in the role since August 21, 2025.

What were the alleged reasons for removing Satish Golcha?

As per sources cited by India Today, Golcha's predecessor, Sanjay Arora, who served as the Delhi Police Commissioner from 2022 to 2025, had introduced norms such as interviewing inspectors before appointing them as SHOs. The interviews were to be conducted by the Central Police Establishment Board; however, sources claim that Golcha did not follow the process. Golcha allegedly issued lists of SHO appointments without conducting the interviews. Reports suggest that Golcha was informed about the prescribed process but allegedly ignored the directions multiple times.

See Also: Sonam Wangchuk Backs Cockroach Janta Party, Set to Join Jantar Mantar Protest on June 6

Other red flags allegedly included handling of the CJP protest ‘unprofessionally’ and reports of corruption within the Delhi Police. Sources stated that Golcha's sudden removal may have been prompted by the recent arrest of two Delhi Police inspectors by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).  CBI arrested Delhi police inspector Pradeep Kumar Singh and Rajkumar in a 3 crore bribery case.

According to various media reports, Satish Golcha's tenure was supposed to end in April 2027. He has more than 30 years of experience and belongs to the 1992 batch of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-UTs (AGMUT) cadre. Before serving as the Delhi Police Commissioner, he was the Director General of Tihar Jail. Golcha was replaced by Anurag Kumar on July 17, 2026.

Who is Anurag Kumar?

Anurag Kumar was appointed as the Delhi Police Commissioner, replacing Satish Golcha before he could complete his tenure. Kumar is a 1994-batch IPS officer from the AGMUT cadre and served as a Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB). For his service in the police force, Kumar has received several awards, including the Medal for Meritorious Service in 2010. He later received the Medal for Distinguished Service in 2016, as cited by NDTV.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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