Dilli Ka Babu
Time for change
As the year heads to a close, three top positions in India’s investigation and security agencies will need to be filled. It’s not often that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) will see their chiefs retire around the same time. Quite obviously, an aggressive search is under way for suitable replacements.
According to sources, there is a lot of speculation around who will replace 1974 batch IPS officer and CBI director Amar Pratap Singh. For now, most punters are betting on Mr Singh’s IPS batchmate Ranjit Sinha, who is the frontrunner. Other names doing the rounds are those of V.K. Gupta, special director in the CBI, and S.C. Sinha, currently with the National Investigation Agency.
Similarly, Intelligence Bureau chief Nehchal Sandhu is retiring in December though it is rumoured that he may be granted a three-month extension. Nevertheless, sources say, 1976 batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre Ram Niwas Gupta and Mr Sandhu’s classmate Yashovardhan Azad of Madhya Pradesh cadre are both eminently eligible for this post.
However, observers expect a rather smooth succession at RAW, the intelligence agency. In all likelihood, RAW boss Sanjeev Tripathi will be replaced by Alok Joshi, a 1976 batch IPS officer, who is currently number two at the agency. Watch this space for updates in what always is a photofinish.
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Mamata’s way
What Mamata Banerjee wants, she gets. The fiery West Bengal chief minister surprised many by choosing 1982 batch IAS officer and ex-PMO hand Sanjay Mitra as the state’s new chief secretary. The trouble is that Mr Mitra is rather young and, sources say, there are at least 13 babus of the West Bengal cadre who are senior to him. They include, among others, 1976 batch IAS officer A.K. Chanda, 1978 batch officer Jaya Dasgupta and Mr Mitra’s batchmate S.K. Nurul Haque.
But obviously none of these babus stood a chance once Ms Banerjee made up her mind on naming Mr Mitra as the chosen one.
Apparently, his stint at the PMO may have helped swing matters in his favour. He is reportedly close to Prime Minister’s adviser T.K.A. Nair and principal secretary to the Prime Minister Pulok Chatterjee. Perhaps, the Trinamul Congress leader, despite moving out of the UPA coalition, wants to keep the channels of communication open with her former partner.
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