Himachal Pradesh-cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rithwik Rudra is reportedly a leading candidate for the position of Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), with the tenure of the current incumbent, Tapan Deka, set to conclude in June.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Deka, who has held the reins of the IB since 2022 and has been granted two extensions, is unlikely to receive a further extension. His current term concludes on June 30. Sources indicated that Rudra is presently serving as Special Director within the IB.
Another senior IPS officer, Sunita Khakhran, also holding the rank of Special Director in the IB, is reportedly among the other contenders for the top post. Khakhran is a 1996-batch IPS officer belonging to the Odisha cadre.
Rudra, who has prior experience in the IB as Additional Director and Joint Director, is widely recognised within police circles as a capable and efficient officer. His father was also an IPS officer, who served in the capacity of Director General of Police (DGP) in Haryana.
Tapan Deka was initially appointed as the IB Director in 2022 for a stipulated two-year term. However, in 2024, he was granted a one-year extension, extending his tenure until 2025. This was subsequently followed by another extension, which is scheduled to end in June of the current year.
In a related development, a high-level selection committee, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, is anticipated to convene next week, most likely on May 12. The purpose of this meeting is to finalise the appointment of the next Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as the tenure of the current Director, Praveen Sood, is due to end on May 31. Sood is also reportedly not expected to receive an extension, according to sources.
The list of potential candidates for the CBI Director’s position includes Rajasthan DGP Rajeev Sharma, CISF DG Praveer Ranjan, and CRPF DG GP Singh. Praveen Sood has been serving a one-year extension beyond his initial fixed two-year tenure, which commenced in May 2023.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
