Former Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta on Monday took over as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), an anti-terror probe agency formed after the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, and called for "expeditious investigation" and prosecution of offences of terror that affect security of the country.
The appointment of Dinkar, a 1987-batch IPS officer from Punjab cadre, comes at a time when Pakistan's snooping agency ISI is seen making attempts of revamping terrorism in the state which has witnessed nearly 50 incidents of IED recoveries, Pro-Khalistan posters, nabbing terrorists from banned organizations like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), besides threats to political leadership in the state as well as neighbouring Haryana.
Gupta has served as Director General of Punjab Police for more than two years, besides heading a unit where he directly supervised Punjab State Intelligence Wing, State Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Organized Crime Control Unit. Immediately after taking over as the NIA chief, Gupta was briefed about all the important cases being handled by the agency. He held a review meeting as well, officials said.
"I shall do my best to fulfil the mandate given to the NIA for expeditious investgation and prosecution of offences relating to terrorism, a menace which affects the security and integrity of the country," Dinkar said immediately after taking over as the NIA chief. Relieving CRPF chief Kuldiep Singh of the additional charge, Gupta has taken over as a full-time chief of the agency after more than a year. Singh had been holding the post as an additional charge since May last year after the retirement of Y C Modi.
Having a Master's degree in police administration, Gupta's experience as the DGP of Punjab for more than two years from 2019 will come handy as some terror groups have started raising their ugly head in the state. An experienced and distinguished officer, Gupta earlier had an eight-year stint on central deputation from June 2004 to July 2012 during which he held sensitive assignments, including as the head of the Intelligence Bureau unit which looked after the security of VVIPs.
Gupta was decorated with two police gallantry medals in 1992 and 1994. He was also decorated with the Police Medal for Meritorious Services by the President and the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2010). In 1999, Gupta was awarded the British Chevening Gurukul Scholarship by the British Council at London School of Economics.
He has been a visiting professor (2000-01) at the George Washington University, Washington and American University where he was invited to design and teach a course, titled 'Governments under Siege: Understanding Terrorism and Terrorists', in January-May 2001.
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