India's two biggest intelligence wings, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), are likely to get new heads by the coming week. They will take over on December 31, when the incumbent Dineshwar Sharma and Rajinder Khanna demit office after completing their two year tenure.
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With the Union home ministry skipping the November-end deadline to name the next successor who will take over as officer on special duty a month ahead of taking charge (which is the usual practice ), top sources in the ministry said that a panel of four to five names has been drawn for the next IB director. The new successor is likely to be announced in the coming week.
Rajiv Jain, 1980 batch IPS officer of Jharkhand Cadre, presently serving as Special Director of IB, has the seniority which makes him the main contender for the top job of IB chief.
Another contender on the list is his two year junior Dattatray Padsalgikar, presently Mumbai police commissioner, who is believed to be close to the RSS-BJP. The incumbent Dineshwar Sharma was not keen for an extension, with sources disclosing that the matter was discussed at the highest level. It remains to be seen if the Modi government goes by seniority and capability or settles for a political appointee, especially at a time when critical states like Uttar Pradesh are due for assembly polls. It is no secret that the IB has a robust political intelligence gathering capability which, if put to use, can be useful to the government of the day.
The other officers in line are also Jain's juniors -- Sunil K Sinha, 1983 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, serving as additional director in IB. Arvind Kumar, 1984 batch IPS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, also serves as IB additional director.
Anil Dhasmana, a 1981 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, who is presently special secretary in the external intelligence agency, is the likely to succeed Khanna at RAW. Again, the appointment of the RAW chief is expected to be straightforward, given Dhasmana's seniority, but it remains to be seen if the Modi government springs a surprise and brings someone from outside the agency. Dhasmana, overseeing India's pakistan Balochistan strategy as well as the China Pakistan economic corridor for India's strategic interests, is likely to be watched carefully by Pakistan if he takes over as the next boss of R&AW.
