Sadanand Vasant Date, a 1990-batch Indian Police Service officer and decorated 26/11 operative, has been appointed director general of police (DGP) for Maharashtra, the state government announced on Wednesday. The move follows an order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approving his premature repatriation to his parent cadre.
Sadanand Date Maharashtra DGP
The appointment will see Date take over from incumbent Rashmi Shukla, who is due to retire on 3 January. Date most recently served as director general of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after being transferred from Maharashtra, where he led the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) until March 2024.
According to the official order issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and the Department of Personnel and Training, the Committee approved the Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal for his premature repatriation “with immediate effect”. The decision restores Date to the Maharashtra cadre ahead of the outgoing DGP’s retirement.
Date is widely known for his role during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, when he was serving as Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region). He was credited with rescuing a lift operator who had been held hostage by terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail at Cama and Albless Hospital in south Mumbai. For his actions during the anti-terror operations, he received the President’s medal for gallantry.
His return to the state police leadership brings a specialist counter-terror background at a time when Maharashtra continues to face complex law-and-order challenges in its urban centres. Date’s tenure as ATS chief earned him recognition for handling sensitive investigations and tactical responses; that experience was a factor in his subsequent appointment to the NIA, India’s premier federal counter-terror agency.
Officials say the early repatriation was sought by the Ministry of Home Affairs and cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which is headed by the Prime Minister. The order cited administrative requirements for restoring Date to his parent cadre and effecting a smooth transition in state leadership.
Rashmi Shukla has overseen the Maharashtra police during a period that included high-profile criminal investigations and public safety reforms. Her retirement on 3 January will mark the end of a substantial policing career and the start of Date’s tenure, which is expected to focus on enhancing counter-terror readiness, inter-agency co-ordination and metropolitan policing strategies.
Observers note that appointing a senior officer with both state ATS and central NIA experience signals an emphasis on integrating intelligence-led policing with operational readiness. Date’s return is likely to prompt a review of resource allocation for counter-terror units and closer cooperation between state and central investigative agencies.
As Date prepares to assume charge in Maharashtra, officials will be watching how his leadership shapes policing priorities in India’s second-most populous state and a major economic hub. The transition also highlights the central government’s role in managing senior police appointments that affect both state security and national counter-terror capabilities.
Key Takeaways:
- Sadanand Date, former NIA Director General and 26/11 operative, has been appointed Maharashtra DGP.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his premature repatriation to the Maharashtra cadre.
- Date replaces Rashmi Shukla, who retires on 3 January; he brings anti-terror experience as ex-ATS chief and NIA head.
