S.C. Sinha of Shopian fame is new NIA chief

NEW DELHI - S.C. Sinha, a 1975 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who probed the sensitive case of the death of two women in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, was Wednesday appointed the new chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Sinha succeeds R.V. Raju, the first head of the special terror probe agency that was set up in the aftermath of the Nov 26, 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Raju retired last month.

“Sinha has been appointed as director general of the NIA,” a statement from the home ministry said.

Sinha, 56, a Haryana cadre IPS officer, was special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). His name was cleared by the home ministry and forwarded to the appointments committee of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for confirmation.

Before joining the CBI, Sinha was director general in the Haryana Vigilance Bureau. He has also held several important positions in the agency from 1985 to 1990 and from 2002 to 2007, including the post of joint director (economic offences wing) and superintendent of police.

Raju, who was given a free hand to put in place the logistics and a core NIA team, is expected to move to the Central Vigilance Commission.

Sinha will remain the head of the NIA till Oct 31, 2013 unless he is given an extension by the government, according to the official notification.

Among his priority jobs will be to implement policies in countering the threat of terrorism, including creating the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre.

Sinha, during his tenure with the CBI, was entrusted to carry out investigations of a number of sensitive cases including the death of two women in Kashmir’s Shopian district.

The Shopian case had triggered unrest in the Kashmir Valley with people alleging that the two women were raped and murdered. However, the CBI probe led by Sinha ruled out foul play, saying the two had died because of drowning.

Sinha is a post-graduate in physics from Lucknow University. He has been decorated with the police medal in 1992 and the President’s Police Medal in 2003.

The NIA can probe terror attacks in any part of the country including cases that pose 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.