Former Maharashtra ATS chief, Sadanand Date takes charge as new NIA chief

Sadanand Date took charge as new NIA DG

Sadanand Vasant Date, an IPS officer of 1990 batch of Maharashtra cadre, took over charge as the new Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday. Date took charge from Dinkar Gupta who superannuated from the service on March 31.

Date's appointment as the DG of NIA for a tenure up to his superannuation on December 31, 2026 was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on March 26.

Date was serving as the chief of Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Maharashtra, prior to joining NIA. He has held several important positions in Maharashtra including Police Commissioner of Mir Bhayandar Vasai Virar; Joint Commissioner Law and order and Joint Commissioner Crime Branch Mumbai.

He has previously served two tenures in Government of India in Central Bureau of Investigation as Deputy Inspector General and Central Reserve Police Force as Inspector General.

Date has been awarded the President's Police Medal for gallantry for his role in combating the terrorists during the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008. He is also recipient of the President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2007 and President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2014.

In other recent appointments, the ACC also appointed Rajeev Kumar Sharma, a 1990-batch IPS officer of Rajasthan Cadre, as the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research & Development. Rajeev Kumar Sharma will be serving as DG of the Police R&D till his superannuation on June 30, 2026. He will be succeeding Balaji Srivastava who completes his tenure at March end.

While, Piyush Anand, a 1991-batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, will be now heading the National Disaster Response Force. The ACC has also appointed S Suresh, a 1995-batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, as the Additional Director General of the Special Protection Group (SPG).