S.C. Sinha likely to succeed Raju as NIA head

January 24, 2010 06:05 pm | Updated 06:06 pm IST - New Delhi

Special Director of the CBI S.C. Sinha is tipped to be second Chief of National Investigation Agency (NIA), succeeding R.V. Raju who retires at the end of the month and may move to Central Vigilance Commission.

The name of Mr. Sinha, a 1975 batch IPS office of Haryana cadre, is likely to be cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, soon, official sources said.

The name of 56-year-old Sinha is understood to have been cleared by the Union Home Ministry and forwarded to ACC for confirmation.

Sharad Chandra Sinha, whose tenure will be till October 31, 2013, is likely to help the government in implementing various policies in countering the threat of terrorism, which includes setting up of National Counter Terrorism Centre.

According to the Bill for the formation of the NIA, the Agency will have a concurrent jurisdiction which empowers the Centre to probe terror attacks in any part of the country, covering offences, including challenge to the country’s sovereignty and integrity.

It can also take up cases relating to bomb blasts, hijacking of aircraft and ships, and attacks on nuclear installations.

Before joining CBI, he was Director General in the State Vigilance Bureau, Haryana. Earlier he had held several important positions in CBI from 1985 to 1990 and from 2002 to 2007, including the post of Joint Director (Economic Offence Wing) and Superintendent of Police.

He has been associated with the investigations of a number of sensitive cases entrusted to CBI by the Supreme Court and High Courts, which include the recent Shopian case and some others that ended in convictions of the accused.

Mr. Sinha, a Post Graduate in Physics from Lucknow University, has been decorated with the Police Medal for Meritorious Service on the eve of Independence Day 1992 and the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service on the eve of Republic Day 2003.

60-year-old Raju is likely to be made a member of the CVC in place of Sudhir Kumar, who retires soon, the sources said.

Mr. Raju, a 1975-batch IPS officer, headed the vigilance department in Jammu and Kashmir. He was selected for the post of NIA considering his wide knowledge and experiences in investigating high-profile cases, including the case of assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

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