CHENNAI: Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is likely to be appointed as the next Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force (HoPF) of Tamil Nadu succeeding Sandeep Rai Rathore.
Sources said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government has chosen Aggarwal as its first DGP from among a set of three names cleared by the UPSC a few days ago. The TN government has sent a communication to the centre requesting a relieving order for Aggarwal, sources said. If appointed, he will be entitled to a fixed two-year tenure as the state’s police chief in line with Supreme Court guidelines.
Aggarwal is currently on central deputation, serving as special director general (Human Rights) in the Border Security Force (BSF). He is also holding additional charge of the force’s Eastern Command based in Kolkata. He was recently empanelled to the rank of Director General by the centre.
Before his deputation to the centre, Aggarwal held several key positions in Tamil Nadu Police. He served as commissioner of police, Greater Chennai Police, and later as Director General of Armed Police and Special Director General of CB-CID.
Over the course of his career, Aggarwal has been honoured with the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Medal. If Aggarwal is appointed, he will be the first full-time DGP/HoPF since the retirement of Shankar Jiwal last year. After Jiwal’s retirement, G Vekataraman was posted as DGP in-charge until the ECI appointed Rathore during the TN Assembly election.