Rakesh Asthana Appointed BSF Director-General

New Delhi: Gujarat cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rakesh Asthana has been appointed the chief of the Border Security Force (BSF) and V.S.K. Kaumudi the special secretary (internal security) in the home ministry, according to a personnel ministry order issued on Monday.

At present, Asthana is working as the director-general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The BSF has been working without a regular chief since March after incumbent V.K. Johri was repatriated to Madhya Pradesh. He later took over as the director-general of the state police.

S.S. Deswal, the chief of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, has been holding the additional charge as the director-general of BSF since March 11.

Asthana's tenure as the director-general of BSF would be up to July 31, 2021, i.e. the date of his superannuation, the order said.

The BSF is entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the country's frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The force is also deployed in tackling Naxalism in Chattisgarh and Odisha.

Asthana, a 1984-batch officer of IPS, is also holding the additional charge of director-general of the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Kaumudi has been appointed the special secretary (internal security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, up to November 30, 2022, i.e. the date of his superannuation, the order said.

Kaumudi, a 1986-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, is presently working as the director-general of the Bureau of Police Research and Development.

His batchmate from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Md Jawed Akhtar has been appointed the director-general of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards.

Akhtar will hold the charge of the post till July 31, 2021, i.e. the date of his superannuation, it added.

He is presently working as the special director-general of the Central Reserve Police Force.

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