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, relieving CRPF chief Kuldeep Singh of the additional charge.
Gupta, a 1987-batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre, takes 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 Director-General of Police (DGP) of Punjab for more than two years from 2019 will come in handy as some terror groups have started raising their ugly head in the state.
Before becoming the Punjab Police chief, Gupta headed 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.
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 the 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.
