Senior IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who oversaw the CBI probe into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been chosen for this year’s prestigious President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
A 2007-batch AGMUT-cadre IPS officer, Prasad recently concluded her stint with the Central Bureau of Investigation and returned to the Delhi Police. She is currently posted as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.
The award citation calls Prasad an “accomplished officer” recognised for her “versatility, integrity and institutional vision”. It highlights her experience across the Delhi Police, CBI, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh, including several high-profile investigations and important policing initiatives.
ROLE IN SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT DEATH PROBE
Prasad’s supervision of the Sushant Singh Rajput death investigation was among the most prominent responsibilities of her CBI tenure.
Rajput, 34, was found dead at his Bandra home in Mumbai on June 14, 2020. The Mumbai Police initially registered a case of accidental death and began investigating the circumstances.
The case gained national attention after Rajput’s father, K K Singh, filed an FIR in Patna against actress Rhea Chakraborty and others, alleging abetment to suicide, financial irregularities and harassment.
Amid the legal and political dispute over jurisdiction, the CBI took charge of the investigation in August 2020.
The probe continued for nearly five years, during which investigators questioned witnesses, examined medical and forensic evidence and looked into allegations of murder, abetment to suicide and other suspected offences.
The case attracted enormous media and public attention, with several theories circulating on television and social media, including claims of poisoning and strangulation.
In March 2025, the CBI submitted closure reports before courts in Mumbai and Patna, concluding that its investigation had found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in Rajput’s death.
DISTINGUISHED POLICING CAREER
The President’s Medal citation highlights Prasad’s experience across a range of demanding assignments.
As the first DCP of Shahdara, she was responsible for developing the district’s policing structure from the ground up. During her tenure, she led operations against drug networks and gambling activities and worked towards making Anand Vihar a “snatching-free zone”.
As DCP of North District, Prasad supervised security arrangements for major events, including Delhi University elections and Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
She also led several community-focused programmes, including women’s self-defence training, hygiene camps in partnership with the Ladli Foundation, youth skill-development initiatives and drug de-addiction programmes with SPYM.
Her assignments extended beyond Delhi as well. In West Bengal, she handled security arrangements during the 2011 Assembly elections and the Ganga Sagar Mela.
While serving as Superintendent of Police in Arunachal Pradesh, she worked to restore inter-tribal peace and dismantle extortion networks.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLICING REFORMS
During her CBI tenure, Prasad supervised several important investigations, including the AgustaWestland case and the Sushant Singh Rajput death probe.
She also contributed to the CBI Crime Manual 2020 and the agency’s Vision Document. Her work included preparations for the Interpol General Assembly 2022 and the G20 Cyber Conference.
After returning to the Delhi Police, Prasad introduced MyKase software for monitoring trials during her posting in the Economic Offences Wing.
She was also associated with the Bureau of Police Research and Development’s National Police Mission and its Micro Mission.
PRESIDENT’S MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
The President’s Medal for Distinguished Service is one of the highest service honours awarded to police personnel.
Prasad’s selection acknowledges a career spanning criminal investigations, law-and-order duties, community initiatives, policing reforms and assignments in challenging security environments.
Her supervision of the Sushant Singh Rajput investigation remains one of the most high-profile responsibilities of her CBI career, with the agency eventually concluding that there was no evidence of foul play in the actor’s death.
