Sadanand Date (57), a Maharashtra cadre IPS officer of the 1990 batch, who was injured while countering Pakistani terrorists who created mayhem in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, will be the new director-general of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He is currently heading the Maharashtra Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
He shot to prominence when he confronted dreaded terrorists Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail who had entered Cama & Albless Hospital near Azad Maidan police station and were opening fire indiscriminately from their automatic weapons.
Undeterred Date led the team and challenged the terrorists. In the process he was badly injured when a grenade was thrown by one of the terrorists. Date's team engaged the terrorists for as long as 50 minutes.
Due to Date and his team's valiant fight, the attackers had fled from the hospital. The attackers then entered the lane near St Xavier's College which leads to the rear entrance of the city police headquarters.
In the lane they fired upon an oncoming police vehicle near Rang Bhavan in which IPS officers Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Senior Inspector Vijay Salaskar got martyred. Date was awarded the President's Police Medal for Gallantry for his bravery shown during the attacks.
"Sadanand Date has been appointed as Director General, NIA, from the date of joining the post, for a tenure up to his superannuation on December 31, 2026 or until further orders," a communication from the Central Government's Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet stated. With Date joining the NIA, the battle for the plum post of Maharashtra ATS chief crime has come to the fore.
An upright and soft-spoken officer, Date brings with him wide experience with regard to organised crime, economic offences and law & order issues.
He has held several posts in Mumbai including that of additional commisisoner (central region), additional commissioner, economic offences wing (EoW), joint commissioner (crime branch) and joint commissioner (law & order). He had also served as the police commissioner of Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar commissionerate.
He had also done central deputation postings earlier with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He also headed the elite counter terrorism agency of Maharashtra state, Force One that was formed on the lines of National Security Guards.
