NIA director Sharad Kumar's term extended

New Delhi, Oct 31: Sharad Kumar will continue as the chief of the National Investigation Agency for another year with the Home Ministry deciding to re-employ him on a contract basis.

The decision was taken by the appointments committee of the cabinet which is headed by the Prime Minister. The decision to continue with Kumar was taken in the wake of several important cases almost in the closing stages.

The Malegaon and Samjautha blasts cases which have already been delayed would have hit a road block had Kumar not been continued.

Sharad Kumar who was appointed as the NIA director in 2013 had been supervising these high profile cases. Kumar is well versed with the facts of these cases and hence it was decided to continue with him for another year, the appointments committee felt.

With Kumar being continued in office on a contract basis, his role will be more supervisory. He will no longer remain an IPS officer due to the re-employment which is on a contract basis.

Although the rules state states that one needs to be a police officer to conduct and supervise cases under the Code of Criminal Procedure, this would not be a hurdle for the functioning of Kumar. The government has made the required amendments to ensure that Kumar has full powers to supervise a case.

OneIndia News