IPS CV Anand to take over Telangana Police Force as its new chief in first week of May

After a long legal see-saw and reprimands from the Supreme Court, Telangana is finally set to have a regular DGP, with senior IPS officer CV Anand (IPS:1991:TG) almost certain to be appointed to the post.

The stage for the next DGP was set with the incumbent DGP, Shivadhar Reddy (IPS:1994:TG), reaching superannuation on April 30. Official sources point out that Anand is slated to assume his new responsibilities in the first week of May.

Anand is known as an upright police officer, currently serving as the Special Chief Secretary of the state Home Department. Before it he was DG of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and has also served as Hyderabad Police Commissioner.

Recent administrative shifts also signaled Anand’s choice for the top slot of the state police force. It became crystal clear after the state government issued orders appointing Shikha Goel (IPS:1994:TG) to succeed Anand in the Home Department role, effectively clearing the decks for his elevation to the state’s highest policing office. Goel is currently posted as Principal Secretary in the Home Department.  

The process for appointing a regular DGP for Telangana began after the Supreme Court rapped the state govt for continuing to have an acting DGP and gave four weeks to the UPSC to complete the process of empanelment of officers for the appointment of Telangana DGP on February 5. Following it, the state govt submitted the list of six top-ranking IPS officers to the UPSC for shortlisting three names.

Consequently, the UPSC’s Empanelment Committee meeting was held in Delhi on March 11 for the purpose. The Empanelment Committee comprised the UPSC Chairperson, the Union Home Secretary, the State Chief Secretary, and a nominee from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The Committee shortlisted three names based on a review of their service records, seniority, and length of remaining service tenure.

After shortlisting three officers eligible for the post, the UPSC forwarded the panel to the state govt to choose one of them as the next DGP.

The three officers shortlisted by the UPSC are CV Anand (IPS:1991:TG), Vinayak Prabhakar Apte (IPS:1994:TG), and Soumya Mishra (IPS:1994:TG). While Anand is currently serving as Special Chief Secretary (Home), Apte is posted as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Mishra is serving as Director General of Prisons.

After that, the ball was in the state govt’s court to pick one of them as the next DGP, and it seems to have decided on the senior-most officer—CV Anand—for the post of the state police chief.