Rakesh Asthana, a 1984 batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre,was holding the posts of Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) andchief of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Now, he will head the Delhi Policewith a year's extension in service granted "in the public interest"said a union home ministry.
Asthana as the Director-General of NCB has been at theforefront of drug seizures and has directed investigation into the influx ofcocaine and synthetic drugs in the Mumbai film industry.
He also led the NCB in its probe into the drugs angle inBollywood that emerged following the death of Bollywood actor Sushant SinghRajput last year.
As the Director General of BSF, Asthana has pushed theforce to make the borders more secure by unravelling tunnels used byPakistan-based terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
Objectionto Asthana’s appointment
Mr Asthana, who was dubbed "the PM's blue-eyedboy" by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, was appointed despite the oppositionof former CBI chief Alok Verma.
In October 2018, a public feud between the CBI's top twoofficers erupted when Asthana faced a prolonged inquiry into bribery charges.
After ordering an FIR against Asthana on corruptioncharges, Verma was ousted from his position as CBI director by the government.
Whatis the motive behind Asthana’s appointment as Commissioner of Delhi Police?
So far, there is no proof that the Modi government hasany specific agenda behind the appointment of Rakesh Ashtana as Delhi Policechief. However, speculations are being raised as Prime Minister Narendra Modiand Home Minister Amit Shah have gone out of the way to make him chief of theDelhi Police. “With farmers still protesting at Delhi borders, and an inquiryinto Delhi Riots is underway, the appointment of Asthana raises questions andit seems like he has been given the top post to fulfill some personal agendasof Modi-led-BJP government”, sources alleged.
Asthana was ruled out of the race for CBI Director twomonths ago because he was about to retire. When a team led by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi met in May to choose a new top investigator, Chief Justice NVRamana cited a Supreme Court ruling that officers with less than six months onservice should not be eligible for police chief posts.
At least two candidates on the government's shortlist,including Mr Asthana, who was set to retire on July 31, were ruled out as aresult.
According to an order from the Appointments Committee ofCabinet, which includes PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, his appointment asDelhi Police Chief was made possible by an extension given "as a specialcase."
Also, this is one of the few times an IPS officer fromoutside the AGMUT cadre has been appointed as the Delhi Police Commissioner, asthe post is usually filled by an officer from the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoramand Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.
He is the third officer from other cadres to be appointedto the top police post, following SS Jog and Ajayraj Sharma.
Rakesh Asthana, on the other hand, is one of PrimeMinister Modi's loyalists, having saved the skin of Modi and his ilk severaltimes.
Asthana has a long history of working with the SanghParivar and "doing a good job" to further the BJP's electoral agenda.He has also served Modi well as the Surat Commissioner of Police, adhering tothe chief minister's orders when he let raping and lynching mobs have freereign over Muslim victims in the aftermath of the 2002 Godhra massacre.