Govt transfers NIA’s additional director general, abolishes post

THE NIA WILL NOT HAVE A NUMBER TWO OFFICER NOW AND THE SENIORMOST OF THE FOUR INSPECTOR GENERALS WILL ACT AS THE SECONDINCOMMAND

The government on Tuesday abruptly transferred the National Investigation Agency (NIA) additional director general (ADG) and Andhra Pradesh cadre Indian Police Service officer Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi to the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).

The government also abolished the ADG’s post from the NIA and moved that position to a central paramilitary.

The NIA will not have a number two officer now and the senior-most of the four inspector generals will act as the secondin-command.

The Union home ministry is the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and deals with their transfers and postings.

The development comes at a time when the second yearly extension given to NIA chief Sharad Kumar is nearing its end in October.

Senior NIA officials were tight-lipped over the reason behind such a decision.

“Yes, Kaumudi has been transferred and the post of ADG has also been abolished in the agency. It is the government’s prerogative,” said an agency official.

Kaumudi said he was aware of the order but was yet to a get a copy of it.

“I learnt a lot at NIA and I enjoyed my stint there,” said Kaumudi, adding that it was the government’s prerogative to post him.

Kaumudi, a 1986 batch IPS officer, had joined the NIA as inspector general in March last year for a term of five years. Earlier this year, he was promoted to the next rank of ADG.