NIA Chief Sadanand Date: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) of the Central Government has taken a significant administrative decision, approving the immediate repatriation of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General and senior IPS officer Sadanand Vasant Date to his parent cadre in Maharashtra. This order, issued on December 22nd, is considered highly significant from both an administrative and political perspective.

Sadanand Date is a 1990 batch IPS officer and is known as a strict, honest, and experienced officer at both the central and state levels. During his tenure as NIA chief, the agency’s role in several sensitive and national security-related cases was further strengthened. Under his leadership, the NIA’s efficiency and credibility have increased.

This decision comes at a time when elections for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are scheduled for January. The BMC is one of the largest municipal corporations in the country, and maintaining law and order during its elections is a major challenge for the state police. Therefore, experienced leadership at both the central and state levels is considered crucial.

The term of the current Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra, Rashmi Shukla, ends on December 31st. In this context, Sadanand Date’s name is being considered as a frontrunner for the next DGP of the state. According to administrative sources, Date’s appointment could ensure a fair and robust security arrangement during the elections.

Sadanand Date is known as the courageous officer who directly confronted terrorist Ajmal Kasab at the Cama and Albless Hospital during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He was seriously injured during the incident, but his courage and dedication to duty earned him national recognition.

If Sadanand Date is appointed as the new DGP of Maharashtra, it will be considered a major and positive step for the state’s law and order and security apparatus. Administrative circles believe that his appointment will boost the morale of the police force and help in conducting the upcoming elections peacefully.

Thane: The Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Tuesday said it has kept open the option to contest the upcoming Thane municipal council elections separately as it was being kept out of the seat-sharing discussions by its allies in Mahayuti.

Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Anand Paranjape claimed that while local leaders of the BJP and Shiv Sena have already initiated talks to finalise seat sharing in the TMC polls, the NCP has not been invited for these deliberations.

“Even though meetings of the alliance partners are underway, the NCP has not been invited. Therefore, we have begun preparations to contest the elections independently,” he said.

Our Thane district president, Najeeb Mulla, has not been contacted by either the BJP or the Shiv Sena, Paranjape claimed.

He said the NCP would declare its seat expectations only after being formally invited to the alliance talks.

He said 380 aspirants have been interviewed over the past two days.

“If the NCP is offered respectable representation in the alliance for the Thane Municipal Corporation, we are ready to contest together. Otherwise, the NCP is fully prepared to contest all 131 seats on its own,” he added.

Paranjape said the NCP favours contesting as part of the grand alliance wherever possible, but local tie-ups or independent contests would also be considered if necessary.

Referring to the recent elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, Paranjape said mayors from the grand alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP were elected in around 215 bodies.

“People of Maharashtra have reaffirmed their faith in the Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde,” he added.

The long-awaited polls to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including cash-rich Mumbai, will be held on January 15, and votes will be counted on the following day. 

New Delhi, Dec 23: In a major boost to the Centre’s ‘Drug-Free India’ campaign, Delhi Police have arrested a female drug peddler in Nihal Vihar and recovered 341 grams of ganja along with Rs 3.72 lakh in cash, suspected to be proceeds from the sale of narcotics, officials said on Tuesday.

According to Delhi Police, the action was carried out by a patrolling team of Police Station Nihal Vihar on December 20, following specific directions from the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Outer District, to maintain heightened vigilance against drug trafficking.

The team, comprising ASI Arvind, Woman Head Constable Yogita and Constable Sanjeet, was on routine patrol in the Adhyapak Nagar area when they noticed a suspicious woman standing near a house close to Pari Garden with a brown-coloured carry bag.

Police said that as soon as the woman noticed the patrol team, the crowd gathered around her dispersed, and she attempted to flee.

“On sensing the police staff, the crowd dispersed immediately, and the female carrying the brown-coloured carry bag also attempted to flee, but the vigilant team swiftly chased and apprehended her on the spot,” the police said in its press note.

Upon weighing, the contraband was found to be 341 grams of ganja. A total sum of Rs 3,72,830 was also recovered, which police believe to be proceeds from the illegal sale of narcotics.

The seized drugs and cash were confiscated on the spot following due legal procedures.

Subsequently, a case was registered at Police Station Nihal Vihar vide FIR No. 960/2025 under Section 20(b)(ii)A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The accused woman was formally arrested in the case.

Further verification revealed that the accused has a criminal history and was previously involved in more than five cases under the Delhi Excise Act, police said.

“The Outer District police remain committed to eliminating narcotics-related crimes and safeguarding the community,” said DCP Sachin Sharma.