Senior Indian Police Service officer Sadanand Date’s appointment as the Director General of Police of Maharashtra has been formally confirmed. The development comes as the current DGP, Rashmi Shukla, is set to retire, ending weeks of speculation over her successor. The state home department had earlier forwarded a panel of seven senior IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission for consideration. Among the shortlisted names, Date, who is presently heading the National Investigation Agency, had emerged as the frontrunner. After due scrutiny, the UPSC narrowed the list to three candidates and sent its recommendations to the state government, paving the way for the final decision.
An official statement issued by the Maharashtra government clarified that Rashmi Shukla’s tenure as the state’s police chief will conclude on January 3, 2026. Following this, Sadanand Date will assume charge as the new Director General of Police. The appointment has been made from the panel recommended by the UPSC’s empanelment committee. Date has been selected for the post of Head of Police Force (HOPF), a designation that carries specific tenure protections. The announcement has brought clarity to the leadership transition at the top of the Maharashtra Police, ending uncertainty that had persisted for over a month within administrative and political circles.
The government statement further explained that, in line with relevant Supreme Court judgments and directions, the tenure of an IPS officer appointed as Director General of Police or Head of Police Force is fixed at two years. Accordingly, Sadanand Vasant Date will serve as the Director General of Police, Maharashtra State (HOPF) for a two-year period from the date he formally takes charge. This provision is intended to ensure stability and continuity in police leadership, insulating the post from frequent transfers and enabling long-term policy implementation within the state’s law enforcement machinery.
Sadanand Date has been serving as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency since April 1, 2024. Over a long and varied career, he has held several key positions, including Deputy Inspector General in the Central Bureau of Investigation, chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, and Joint Commissioner of Police in Mumbai handling crime as well as law and order. He has also served as Police Commissioner of Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar. Academically, Date holds a postgraduate degree in commerce, a PhD from Savitribai Phule Pune University, professional qualifications in cost and management accounting, and international training in white-collar and organised crime control.