Who Will Be the Next NIA Chief? Sadanand Vasant Likely to Become Maharashtra DGP Next Month, Cadre Repatriation Approved

In a significant administrative development, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal to repatriate National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sadanand Vasant Date to his parent cadre, Maharashtra, ahead of schedule. The approval was granted late on December 22, following a proposal sent by the Home Ministry on December 16.

Date, a 1990-batch senior IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, is now widely expected to be appointed as the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra in January 2026.

Likely Successor to Retiring DGP

The move comes as the current Maharashtra DGP, Rashmi Shukla, a 1988-batch IPS officer, is set to retire on January 3, 2026. Following her retirement, Sadanand Date will be the senior-most IPS officer in the Maharashtra cadre, placing him at the forefront of the race for the top police post in the state.

Widely respected for his integrity and professionalism, Date is also known as one of the heroes of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He took charge as NIA Director General on March 31, 2024, succeeding Dinkar Gupta.

Race for the Next NIA Chief Begins

With Date’s repatriation, speculation has intensified over who will take over as the next Director General of the NIA. While the final decision rests with the central government, several senior IPS officers are being considered.

Among the prominent names is G.P. Singh, the current Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). A former Assam DGP, Singh assumed charge as CRPF chief on January 18, 2025, and has earned recognition for his leadership, particularly in anti-Naxal operations.

Another strong contender is Rakesh Agrawal, a 1994-batch IPS officer who is presently serving as the Special Director General of the NIA. As the agency’s second-in-command, Agrawal is seen as a natural choice for elevation.

BSF DG Post Also Vacant

Meanwhile, the post of Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) has remained vacant since the retirement of Daljit Singh Choudhary on November 30. At present, Praveen Kumar, DG of the ITBP, is holding additional charge of the BSF. Sources indicate that a permanent appointment is expected, though no official announcement has been made so far.

Senior officials caution that until formal orders are issued, all appointments remain speculative. However, the coming weeks are expected to bring clarity to key leadership positions in India’s internal security apparatus.