Early Times Report
New Delhi, June 26: The Centre on Thursday appointed Special Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Mahesh Dixit as the next Director of India's premier internal intelligence agency. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the appointment of Dixit, currently the second in command in the IB, for a period of two years. Dixit, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, is currently serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau. He will take over from incumbent IB Director Tapan Kumar Deka, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre. Tapan Deka's second extended term as Intelligence Bureau Director is set to conclude on June 30. As per an official order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Dixit has been appointed as Director of the Intelligence Bureau for a tenure of two years from the date he assumes charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The government has granted him an extension in service under the provisions of Fundamental Rule (FR) 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, to enable him to serve in the top intelligence position. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mahesh Dixit, IPS (AP:93), Special Director, Intelligence Bureau as Director, Intelligence Bureau vice Tapan Kumar Deka, IPS (HP:88), for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier, by granting extension in service under the provisions of FR 56(d) and Rule 16 (1A) of All India Services (Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958," reads the order. Dixit is a seasoned intelligence officer with extensive experience in counter-terrorism, internal security and intelligence operations. Before being posted as Special Director at the IB headquarters in New Delhi, he headed the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Jammu and Kashmir, one of the agency's most crucial operational assignments given the region's security challenges. |