Deka appointed new IB director
NEW DELHI: The appointments committee of cabinet (ACC) on Friday appointed Tapan Kumar Deka as the new director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The IB is the country’s premier domestic spy agency which collects intelligence on various issues including terrorism, conflicts in various regions, threat assessment pertaining to government policies, counter-intelligence and assisting other agencies and police forces.
Deka is a 1988-batch Himachal Pradesh cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and is currently posted as a special director of the IB. According to the ACC order issued on Friday, he will replace Arvinda Kumar, whose tenure ends on June 30. The order added that Deka will lead the IB for two years from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier, by granting extension in service.
An expert on Islamic radicalisation, Deka oversaw the crackdown on Pakistan-backed homegrown outfit Indian Mujahideen between 2008 and 2015. He was also at the forefront of investigation and intelligence gathering after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and has substantial experience in dealing with issues in the Northeast and Pakistanbacked terror activities in Kashmir. The ACC on Friday also extended the tenure of current Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief – Samant Kumar Goel – for another year, till June 30, 2023.
Goel, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, had completed his fixed two-year tenure as RAW secretary on June 30 last year, but was given a year’s extension . The latest order, issued on Friday, gives him a second extension of service.
RAW gathers external intelligence, works on counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, advances India’s strategic interests and advises the Centre on various issues. An Af- Pak expert, Goel was instrumental in India’s planning for the February 2019 Balakot strikes following the Pulwama attack by Jaish-eMohammad (JeM), in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed.