Rakesh Asthana given additional charge of DG Narcotics Control Bureau

Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved handing over of additional charge of post of Director General Narcotics Control Bureau to Director General of Civil Aviation Security (DG CAS) Rakesh Asthana. He is appointed for next 6 months or till a new incumbent is appointed.

NCB chief post was lying vacant since 4 July 2019 after then incumbent Abhay was appointed as Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy based in Hyderabad.

About Rakesh Asthana

Rakesh Asthana is 1984-batch IPS (Indian Police Service) officer of Gujarat cadre. He was 2nd in command in Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was transferred as DG CAS after a bitter tug of war with then chief of CBI Alok Verma. Both officers had levelled allegations of corruption on each other after which they were sent on leave by Centre.

CBI had registered a complaint against Rakesh Asthana alleging corruption which he had strongly denied and claimed that he was booked because of a complaint he made against Alok Verma.

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)

It is a nodal intelligence and drug law enforcement agency of the country.

It was established in 1986 and is headquartered in New Delhi. It was founded to enable full implementation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and fight its violation by Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.

It functions under the aegis of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and is responsible for fighting drug trafficking and abuse of illegal substances.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2019