Maharashtra ATS Chief Sadanand Date Is New NIA Director General

New Delhi: The Centre has appointed IPS officer Sadanand Vasant Date as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The appointment committee of the cabinet (ACC) also approved the Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal to appoint Piyush Anand, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, as the Director General of the National Disaster Response Force, and Rajeev Kumar Sharma, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, as Director General, Bureau of Police Research & Development.

Date, a 1990-batch officer of Maharashtra cadre, will replace Dinkar Gupta, who is due to retire on March 31. He is currently serving as ADG of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police.

“Appointment of Sadanand Vasant Date as Director General, National Investigation Agency in Level-16 of the Pay Matrix from the date of joining the post, or a tenure up to his superannuation on December 31, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the notification issued on March 26 said.

The brains behind the anti-terrorism cell in Maharashtra and a recipient of the President’s Police Medal for bravery during the 26/11 attack, Date had worked as IG and additional DG of the Central Reserve Police Force before becoming joint secretary in the law and justice department. He had been DCP, Zone 8, in Mumbai and later served as additional commissioner of central region. He also held the post of commissioner of police of Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar city near Mumbai.

Anand is currently serving as  Special DG, CISF. “Appointment of Anand as Director General, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Level-16 of the pay matrix 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,” the notification further said.

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). “Appointment of Sharma as Director General, Bureau of Police Research & Development, from the date of joining the post, for a tenure up to his superannuation on June 30, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the order added.

The ACC has also approved the premature repatriation of P V Ramasashtry, a 1989-batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, and currently working as Special DG of the Border Security Force.