Tapan Kumar Deka made IB chief, Samant Goel gets another year as R&AW chief

Deka, who has been handling the operations wing of the IB, takes over as the new chief for two years, according to an official order i

Samant Goel. File | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Friday appointed Tapan Kumar Deka, a 1988 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer as Director, Intelligence Bureau for a period of two years, till June 2024, after the 2024 general elections are concluded in May. 

The ACC also gave another one-year extension in service to Samant Kumar Goel, Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

Mr. Deka from the Himachal Pradesh cadre who was set to retire in February 2023 will assume office on July 1 after the present incumbent Arvinda Kumar retires on June 30.

An ACC order said that Mr. Deka will assume charge for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier, by granting extension in service under the provisions of FR 56(d) and Rule 16 (1A) of All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.

Currently posted as Special Director, IB, Mr. Deka, who hails from Assam, is handling the operations desk. He was deputed by Home Minister Amit Shah to oversee the operations in Kashmir Valley after the first spate of civilian killings started in October 2021.

Mr. Deka supersedes one senior officer — 1987 batch IPS officer A.S Rajan, in the internal intelligence agency. Four officers from the same 1988 batch are also serving in the IB.

All the three officers were granted a year’s extension in office in 2021 and belong to the 1984-batch of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS).

Meanwhile, R&AW Secretary Samant Kumar Goel, whose The two-year fixed term would have ended on June 30, 2021, was granted another one-year extension by the ACC. Mr. Goel is a 1984 batch IPS officer from the Punjab cadre.