Four DGs in CAPFs to retire months apart, Centre to rope in key officers as Chiefs soon

New Delhi, June 18

In a first, Director Generals of four Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) are retiring a few months apart this year. The Centre is all set to choose among the front runners for the post of new Chiefs of the four forces. 

The forces that are going to have new DGs are Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) and Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB).

DG SSB Amrit Mohan Prasad (1989 batch-Odisha cadre) will retire in August. DG CISF Rajwinder Singh Bhatti (1990 batch-Bihar cadre) will retire in September. Similarly, DG ITBP Rahul Rasgotra (1989 batch-Manipur cadre) will also retire in September.

DG BSF Daljeet Singh Chawdhary (1990 batch-UP cadre) is scheduled to retire in November. The retirement of DG BSF on November 30 unfortunately coincides with the BSF Raising Day on December 1.

The likelihood of DG Chawdhary getting an extension is favourable given the situation. 

Chawdhary has vast experience as former DG SSB, Special Director CRPF,  ITBP before his appointment as DG BSF. In UP Police, Chawdhary is particularly known for his role in counter-terrorism operations. Chawdhary has been awarded five Gallantry Awards (Veerta Puraskar) for his courage. During his tenure as the SSP of Etawah and DIG of Kanpur Range, he faced over 50 dacoits, resulting in the death of numerous criminals and the surrender of many others. He also worked in UP STF. Chawdhary has a remarkable record as ADG (Law and Order) before moving on central deputation since 2017.

DG Rajwinder Singh Bhatti served as DG Bihar for two years before moving on central deputation in 2024 and posted in Central Burea of Investigation. The Centre then appointed  him as the DG CISF in September 2024.

DG Bhatti has had a long illustrious career in Bihar and held various posts. He is known for his early days stint when he had carried out operation to arrest Kosho Kunwar. He served as SPs in Siwan, Bokaro, Patna, Purnia and other districts. He had a knack of arresting gangsters and dismantling the network.

He also served in the Eastern Command of BSF, Airports Authority of India and CBI as Joint Director.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will take key decisions in August starting with the appointment of a new DG in SSB followed by new contenders for the post of DG in CISF and ITBP.

The Centre choses officers as per their seniority of the batch as well as the age of retirement. Presently, the 1990 and 1991 batch of IPS are the front runner for the post of the DG CAPFs.

The other senior officers of the 1990 batch are DG National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sadanand Date, DG Bureau of Police Reserach & Development (BPR&D) Rajeev Kumar Sharma, DG Haryana Shatrujeet Kapoor and DG Andhra Pradesh Anjani Kumar who are holding key posts. 

Over 20 IPS officers were empannelled to DG or equivalent in 2023- Rashmi Shukla (IPS:1988:MH), Vivek Sahay (IPS:1988:WB), Rajwinder Singh Bhatti (IPS:1990:BH), Shyam Bhagat Negi (IPS:1990:HP), Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor (IPS:1990:HY), Harinath Mishra (IPS:1990:KL), Kamal Pant (IPS:1990:KN), Atul Kulkarni (IPS:1990:MH), Sadanand Vasant Date (IPS:1990:MH), Y. B. Khurania (IPS:1990:OR), Rajeev Kumar Sharma (IPS:1990:RJ), Amrendra Kumar Singh (IPS:1990:SK) T. V. Ravichandran (IPS:1990:TN), Daljit Singh Chaudhary (IPS:1990:UP),PrashantKumar(IPS:1990:UP),Rajiv Ranjan Verma (IPS:1990:UP),Renuka Mishra (IPS:1990:UP).

However, DG Maharashtra Rashmi Shukla will retire this month and DG Gujarat Vikas Sahay (1989 batch) will also retire by June end while DG UP Prashant Kumar retired in May. YB Khuraniya who was in BSF was repatriated to his cadre and appointed as DG Odisha. Atul Kulkarni and Kamal Pant retired in 2024.

The 1990 batch IPS officer Shyam Bhagat Negi who is presently on central deputation is front runner for the post of DG Himachal Pradesh after retirement of Atul Verma. He might be one of the choices for the post of DG in CAPFs. 

The probability of the selection of IPS officers (1990-91 batch) who are on central deputation and have atleast one year to their retirement is high. 

DG CRPF GP Singh (1991 batch) is the only DG in CAPFs at present who has two years to his retirement. He arrived in January this year and his appointment has further bolstered the major counter naxal operations in the country. 

Although the decision lies with the Centre, there is possibility that they might also reshuffle the present DGs who have still have more time in service and appoint them as Chiefs of the respective forces.