BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government on Wednesday appointed Sunil Kumar Bansal as the new Director-General of Police (DGP). The office of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik formally announced the appointment of Bansal, a 1987 batch IPS officer, as the head of the police force.
Currently on Central deputation, Bansal is serving as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB). He succeeds Abhay who will complete his two-year tenure on December 31 this year. He may assume charge from January 1, 2022.
The notification of the Home Department stated that Bansal’s name for the DGP post was shortlisted on the “recommendations of the UPSC” and “in the interest of public service.” The Odisha cadre IPS officer who went on Central deputation in 1994 will return to the State in an official capacity for the first time in 27 years. His last posting in the State was as SP of Vigilance.
In October, as part of the process for the appointment of the new DGP, the State Government had submitted a panel of names to the Ministry of Home Affairs which in turn sent the list of the empanelled officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The UPSC then approved the names of three officers - Bansal, Pradeep Kapur (1986 batch) and Manoj Chhabra (1988 batch) and asked the Odisha government to pick one name for the top post of police administration in the State.
The Odisha cadre IPS officer has worked only for a short period in the State. During his eight year’s service in Odisha till 1994, Bansal served as additional SP Dhenkanal, Talcher SDPO and additional SP Sambalpur. He was also Mayurbhanj SP and Vigilance SP at Sambalpur.
He, however, has served extensively in IB. Before being elevated to the post of Special Director IB in October 2020, he was serving as the Additional Director IB. He also had a stint as Joint Director in New Delhi. His extensive experience in intelligence, security and law and order in India and outside would be key. He will have a few immediate challenges though, the most significant being the ensuing panchayat elections and urban body polls which are not too far away.