NIA chief Sadanand Date repatriated to Maharashtra, likely to be next head of state police

Mumbai: Senior IPS officer and National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief Sadanand Date was on Monday repatriated to Maharashtra and is likely to take over as the state's police chief once incumbent Rashmi Shukla retires on Dec 31. Date, a 1990-batch IPS officer, was appointed as the head of NIA in March last year. Date, who headed the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and also served as joint commissioner of police (crime) and joint commissioner of police (law & order) in Mumbai, fought with 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab at Cama Hospital and was injured.
Date is widely regarded as one of the most honest IPS officers and a highly professional policeman.He is known for his initiatives and reforms to make policing effective, improving the delivery of police services, organisational development of the police, counter-terrorism, community policing, and even police welfare. Date received several commendations and awards in his three-decade-long career. He won the Mahatma Gandhi Peace and Communal Harmony award from the Minorities Commission and the Police Medal for Meritorious Services in 2007. Date also received the President's Police Medal for Gallantry in 2009 for his role in repulsing the 26/11 attack.Officials said Date was among half a dozen top IPS officers shortlisted by the state govt for the DGP's post. Among the shortlisted candidates, officials said they were not sure if the Centre would relieve Date since he was directly handling the crucial 2008 Mumbai blasts case mastermind Tahawwur Rana, who was extradited this year.According to the Supreme Court directive in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India matter, the DGP should have a minimum tenure of two years. Shukla was appointed as DGP in Jan 2024, just five months before her retirement, and was provided an extension till Dec 31, 2025. Once appointed, Date will have his tenure till the end of 2027. Date has worked with various central agencies and has a clean track record.

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