The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cleared the appointment of six senior 1995-batch Indian Police Service officers to key leadership positions in some of the country’s most important central security and intelligence organisations. The officers have been elevated to senior posts in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The appointments were approved through an order issued on September 3, 2026. Five of the six officers have been appointed as Special Directors General (Special DGs), while Jag Mohan has been elevated to the post of Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau. The latest move brings a fresh round of senior-level changes in the central police and security establishment and places a group of experienced 1995-batch IPS officers in important leadership positions.
Sandeep Khirwar Appointed Special DG, CRPF
Sandeep Khirwar, a 1995-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, has been elevated as Special Director General in the Central Reserve Police Force. He was serving as Additional Director General (ADG), CRPF, before the ACC approved his appointment to the higher post.
Khirwar will hold the Special DG position in Level-16 of the Pay Matrix. His appointment will become effective from the date on which he assumes charge of the new responsibility.
As per the order, Khirwar will remain in the post until his superannuation on May 31, 2033, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. His elevation is part of the broader exercise to strengthen the senior leadership structure of the CRPF, one of the country’s largest central armed police organisations.
Puneet Rastogi Gets Special DG Post in BSF
Another 1995-batch IPS officer, Puneet Rastogi, has also been elevated to the rank of Special Director General. Rastogi, a Tripura cadre officer, was serving as ADG, Border Security Force, before his appointment.
He has now been appointed Special Director General, BSF, in Level-16 of the Pay Matrix. The new assignment will take effect from the date he assumes charge.
Rastogi will continue as Special DG until his superannuation on June 30, 2030, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. His elevation comes at a senior level in the BSF, which is responsible for guarding India’s borders and plays a crucial role in border security and related national security duties.
Satish Shriramaji Khandare Also Elevated as Special DG, BSF
The ACC has simultaneously approved the elevation of Satish Shriramaji Khandare, another 1995-batch IPS officer, as Special Director General in the BSF. Khandare belongs to the AGMUT cadre and was serving as ADG, BSF, before being appointed to the higher position.
His appointment has been made in Level-16 of the Pay Matrix. The order also provides for the restoration of a Special DG post in the BSF that had been temporarily downgraded.
Khandare will hold the senior position until his superannuation on June 30, 2031, or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. His elevation adds another experienced officer to the top leadership structure of the Border Security Force.
Padmakar S Ranipse Appointed Special DG, CISF
Padmakar S Ranipse, a 1995-batch IPS officer of the Odisha cadre, has been elevated as Special Director General, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She was serving as ADG, CISF, prior to the latest ACC approval.
The appointment has been made on an in-situ basis, with her existing post being temporarily upgraded to the level of Special DG. In other words, the elevation does not involve a conventional transfer to another organisation but upgrades the position she is already holding.
Ranipse will continue in the upgraded post until her superannuation on May 31, 2028, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The appointment gives the CISF another senior 1995-batch IPS officer at the Special DG level.
The CISF has a distinct security mandate within the central armed police structure, with responsibilities that include protecting critical infrastructure and important installations. The elevation of Ranipse therefore comes at a senior leadership level within an organisation entrusted with a wide range of sensitive security responsibilities.
Rajesh Kumar Elevated as Special DG, CRPF
The CRPF will have two 1995-batch IPS officers elevated to the Special DG level under the latest ACC decision. Rajesh Kumar, a 1995-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer, has been appointed Special Director General, CRPF.
Kumar was serving as ADG, CRPF, before the appointment. His existing post has been temporarily upgraded to the Special DG level, and the elevation has been made on an in-situ basis.
According to the order, Kumar’s appointment will be for two years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. His elevation, alongside that of Sandeep Khirwar, gives the CRPF two senior officers from the 1995 batch at the Special DG level.
The CRPF remains one of the country’s principal central armed police forces and has a major role in maintaining internal security, assisting state authorities in challenging security situations and handling a range of sensitive operational responsibilities. Senior-level appointments such as these are therefore significant for the force’s overall administrative and operational leadership.
Jag Mohan Appointed Special Director, Intelligence Bureau
The sixth officer covered by the ACC order is Jag Mohan, a 1995-batch Bihar cadre IPS officer. He has been elevated from his existing position as Additional Director in the Intelligence Bureau to Special Director, IB.
Like the other appointments, the new position carries Level-16 of the Pay Matrix. Jag Mohan’s appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge.
He will remain in the post until his superannuation on June 30, 2031, or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. His elevation places him in one of the senior leadership positions within the country’s domestic intelligence organisation.
The Intelligence Bureau has a key role in gathering and assessing intelligence relating to internal security and other matters of national importance. The appointment of Jag Mohan as Special Director consequently adds another experienced IPS officer to the senior leadership structure of the organisation.
Six Senior IPS Officers Get Key Central Assignments
The latest ACC decision brings together six officers from the 1995 IPS batch for important responsibilities across the CRPF, BSF, CISF and Intelligence Bureau. While five officers have been elevated as Special Directors General, one officer has been appointed Special Director in the IB.
The appointments are:
- Sandeep Khirwar – Special Director General, CRPF
- Puneet Rastogi – Special Director General, BSF
- Satish Shriramaji Khandare – Special Director General, BSF
- Padmakar S Ranipse – Special Director General, CISF
- Rajesh Kumar – Special Director General, CRPF
- Jag Mohan – Special Director, Intelligence Bureau
A notable feature of the order is that several of the appointments have been made by temporarily upgrading the officers’ existing positions. This is particularly relevant in the cases of Padmakar Ranipse and Rajesh Kumar, while Satish Khandare’s appointment also involves the restoration of a Special DG post that had earlier been temporarily downgraded.
The tenure provisions vary from officer to officer. Sandeep Khirwar will continue until May 31, 2033, unless ordered otherwise; Puneet Rastogi until June 30, 2030; Satish Khandare until June 30, 2031; Padmakar Ranipse until May 31, 2028; and Jag Mohan until June 30, 2031. Rajesh Kumar, meanwhile, has been appointed for two years from the date of assumption of charge, subject to further orders.
The ACC’s latest decision represents a significant senior-level reshuffle involving the 1995 batch of the Indian Police Service. With experienced officers moving into Special DG and Special Director positions across major central security and intelligence organisations, the appointments strengthen the senior command structure of these forces and institutions.
The new responsibilities will formally begin once the respective officers assume charge. Until then, the existing arrangements will continue as applicable, with the ACC order laying out the terms, level of appointment and tenure for each officer.
