J&K DG Vigilance RV Raju to be First NIA chief

Jammu and Kashmir Director General vigilance R.V.Raju, IPS on Thuresday received a 2009 year gift when he was appointed Director General of the National Investigating Agency(NIA)

The DG of NIA has been appointed after a Bill for the formation of the Agency was cleared by Parliament in December last year in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks.

Reports said,that NIA will have concurrent jurisdiction which empowers the Centre to probe terror attacks in any part of the country, covering offences, including challenge to the country’s sovereignty and integrity. It can also take up cases relating to bomb blasts, hijacking of aircraft and ships, and attacks on nuclear installations.

Mr Raju, a 1975-batch IPS officer, headed the vigilance department in Jammu and Kashmir. He was selected for the post considering his wide knowledge and experiences in investigating high-profile cases, including assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

He was transferred from Delhi recently to head the Vigilance organization after Dr Ashok Bhan tookover as DG intelligence.

    Raju was scheduled to retire in July,2009.But after being appointed as DG NIA he has been given a two-year tenure. Considered by his colleagues as a brilliant police officer Raju has had a long stint in the CBI where he was posted as Joint Director.He had been repatriated to Jammu and Kashmir for heading the Vigilance organization as he has the reputation of being the mos honest police officer of the type of Ashok Bhan