NEW DELHI: Centre has appointed chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Sadanand Vasant Date as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), as the orders with regard to appointment of the heads of the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been issued.In the order, which was issued on late Tuesday evening, the deputy secretary in the Central Government said “Appointment of Date, a 1990-batch IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre, from the date of joining the post, for tenure up to his superannuation on December 31, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.”Date will take charge as the head of the anti-terror federal probe agency following the retirement of incumbent NIA DG Dinkar Gupta on March 31.Date is a decorated senior police officer, who was first among the first few officers, who reached one of the places on the night of November 26, 2008, when Mumbai was under attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, and engaged in a counter-operation. He had sustained injuries during the exchange of fire with the terrorists.It was his bravery and quick actions that led to the rescue of many victims, who were held hostage by Abu Ismail and Ajmal Kasab. Kasab was the only terrorist that Mumbai police managed to nab alive.Subsequently, Date was awarded the President’s police medal for gallantry.Date also worked as a DIG in the Central Bureau of Investigation and IG (ops) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He also held the post of commissioner of police of Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar city near Mumbai.Meanwhile, the ACC has also appointed Rajeev Kumar Sharma, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre as the DG of BPR&D. “Appointment of Sharma…, from the date of joining the post, for tenure up to his superannuation on June 30, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” read the order.Sharma currently heads the Anti-Corruption Branch in Rajasthan and had earlier served as the DGP (Law and Order), Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).The order has also been issued to appoint Piyush Anand, a 1991-batch IPS of Uttar Pradesh cadre and the currently holding the post of Special DG in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). “Appointment of Piyush Anand as Director General, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) by temporarily upgrading the post of DG, NDRF to the level of DG on personal basis for a period of two years from the date of joining the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” read the order.The ACC has also approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the premature repatriation of PV Ramasashtry, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, and currently working as Special DG of the Border Security Force (BSF).



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