Law Kumar Mishra
Patna: Sanjeev Kumar Singh, IG, National Investigation Agency (NIA), was removed from his post with immediate effect on August 19 night on PMO instructions following a decision of the Cabinet committee on appointments (CCA).
Sanjeev, an IPS officer of 1987 batch of Madhya Pradesh cadre, had held a press conference last week at NIA headquarters giving audio-video confessional statement of a Pakistani terrorist, Bahadur Ali, caught in Baramullah in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a notification issued by DOPT late Friday night,the Prime minister Office had sent a communication to DOPT on August 18 (Thursday) suggesting Singh should be relieved immediately. Sanjeev was given an extension by the ministry of home affairs (NHA) on June 22. The CCA on August 19 issued the order which says “in suppression of the DOPT order, cabinet has not approved the MHA proposal.”. The PMO had sent a note seeking immediate removal of the IG from NIA.
Sanjeev had led the investigation of several important cases including terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, North East, Bodh Gaya blasts and Gandhi Maidan serial blasts at Patna at the public meeting of the then chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi. His action of holding a press conference on confessional statement of Bahadur Ali was not appreciated by he PMO, souces close to the MHA said and added on the instructions of the PMO, Sanjeev’s immediate removal was ordered. He is expected to return to his parent cadre,where he may be appointed in the rank of additional DG of police. Incidentally, Sanjeev hails from Samastipur district in Bihar.