Tuesday, January 25 2005 21:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Director General of Kerala Police P K Hormese Tharakan was today (Jan 25, 2005) appointed the new chief of external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), superseding Special Secretary J K Sinha.

Tharakan, a 1968 batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, replaces C D Sahay, who retires on January 31, official sources said in New Delhi.

The new RAW Chief, who is also designated as Secretary (R), has served in RAW for over a decade with important stints in Europe and Nepal. He would be retiring in June this year.

With his appointment, Sinha, an RAS officer of 1967 batch, is understood to have submitted his papers to the Government and has proceeded on leave till the acceptance of his resignation, the sources said.

Amber Sen, a 1970 batch Research and Analysis Services (RAS) officer, who is also a Special Secretary in RAW, was also among the front-runners in view of his service period of two years.

RAW attracted adverse attention earlier this year after one of its senior officials, Rabindra Singh, managed to give a slip and reportedly fled to the United States after passing sensitive information to the Western intelligence agency.

The Government is now engaged in the major task of overhauling the external intelligence agency, which included strengthening its counter-intelligence system.