Mumbai: The Union Cabinet Committee has approved the proposal to repatriate National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sadanand Date to his parent Maharashtra cadre, paving the way for his appointment as the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra from January 1, 2026. The approval to implement his premature repatriation as NIA chief has removed uncertainty over whether the Centre would relieve him from the post.
The two-year extension granted by the state government to the incumbent DGP Rashmi Shukla ends on December 31. Ahead of the appointment of a new police chief, the Maharashtra government has forwarded a panel of names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), with Date being the senior-most officer on the list. The UPSC will recommend three names, from which the state government will make the final selection. Senior Home Department sources said that with the Centre’s clearance for Date’s repatriation, the hurdle to his appointment has been removed.
A 1990-batch IPS officer, Date has been on central deputation as the head of the NIA. Widely regarded as an upright and duty-bound officer, he is the senior-most IPS officer by service tenure. The state has sent a list of seven officers to the UPSC, including Date; Director General (Legal and Technical) Sanjay Verma; Home Guards Commandant Ritesh Kumar; Anti-Corruption Bureau DG Sanjeev Kumar Singhal; Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority DG Archana Tyagi; Civil Defence DG Sanjeev Kumar; and Railway DG Prashant Burde.
The UPSC will shortlist three names and send them to the state government, which will then make the final choice. Given seniority and experience, Date is widely expected to be selected. Though he is due to retire in December 2026, if appointed, he could get a full two-year tenure as DGP.
Date has held several key positions in the Mumbai Police, including Joint Commissioner (Crime) and Joint Commissioner (Law and Order). He also served as head of the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), during which he was promoted to the rank of Director General. He later rose to become NIA chief. Major terror investigations, including the Delhi blast case, were carried out under his leadership.
His career also includes stints as Police Commissioner of Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar, Special Inspector General in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Chhattisgarh, and Superintendent in the Economic Offences Wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He was later promoted as Additional Commissioner and posted as Additional Commissioner of Police, Central Region, Mumbai.
Date is also remembered for his bravery during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, when he was injured while attempting to confront terrorists. Subsequently, he volunteered to lead ‘Force One’, the elite counter-terrorism unit set up by the Maharashtra government, becoming its first chief. He is also credited with establishing the Anti-Terrorism Cell within the Mumbai Police.
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