The Maharashtra Government Wednesday appointed former National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief Dr Sadanand Vasant Date as the director general of police (DGP). Date’s appointment comes as the tenure of the incumbent DGP Rashmi Shukla comes to an end on January 3.
The move was largely expected, as the Maharashtra government had sought the repatriation of Date from his role as the NIA chief in Delhi. In line with the Supreme Court guidelines in the 2006 Prakash Singh judgement, Date, a 1990-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, will remain on the post for two years, even though he is due to retire in December 2026.
The Supreme Court directed the appointment of DGPs for two years to prevent political interference in the functioning of state police chiefs. Shukla, too, had a two-year tenure, though she had only six months left when she was appointed DGP in January 2024.
Date, who was recently overseeing the probe in the Delhi car blasts case as the NIA chief, is known as an officer with a clean image. He was one of the officers who had taken on the terrorists during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. His bravery and presence of mind led to the rescue of hostages at the Cama and Albless hospital for women and children. He was later awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry.
Date, who has in the past served as chief of the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), was the first commissioner of the newly formed Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police commissionerate that came up in 2020, joint commissioner of police (law and order) and later joint commissioner of the crime branch in Mumbai city.
Date, who hails from a humble household in Pune, holds a doctorate from Pune University. He is also a qualified cost and management accountant from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI).
Officers who have worked with him recall Date as a workaholic and a thorough officer who would sometimes arrive at the office before working hours to review case files and be available to meet people.
