IPS officer Anjani Kumar assumed full additional charge as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Telangana at the state Police Headquarters on Saturday, 31 December.
He succeeded M Mahendar Reddy, who demitted office on attaining superannuation.
The state government had issued an order appointing Kumar with full additional charge of DGP (Head of Police Force) on 29 December.
Taking a leaf out of the playbook of Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government skipped the usual process of seeking the approval of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and gave Kumar “full additional charge”, or FAC, as DGP.
Kumar met Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan and thanked the latter for appointing him as Telangana’s Director General of Police (FAC).
రాష్ట్ర డిజిపిగా బాధ్యతలను స్వీకరించిన అనంతరం ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ కె. చంద్రశేఖర్ రావును ఈరోజు ప్రగతి భవన్ లో శ్రీ అంజనీ కుమార్ మర్యాదపూర్వకంగా కలిసారు. తనకు డిజిపిగా అవకాశం కల్పించినందుకు సీఎంకు ఆయన కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలిపారు. ఈ సందర్భంగా డిజిపి అంజనీ కుమార్ కు సీఎం శుభాకాంక్షలు తెలిపారు. pic.twitter.com/x1uYwZA3ab
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) December 31, 2022
I took charge as the Director General of Police, Telangana from Shri. M. Mahendar Reddy, IPS who was retiring from service on superannuation.
-Anjani Kumar, IPS. pic.twitter.com/6PhRQcb0K9— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) December 31, 2022
Choice for DGP
Earlier, Ravi Gupta, a 1990-batch IPS officer and principal secretary in the Home Department, and ADGP CV Anand, a 1991-batch officer, now the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad city, were also considered to be in the race for the top police post.
However, the chief minister chose Kumar, who had served as ADGP (law and order) when Anurag Sharma was the DGP. He was also the police commissioner of Hyderabad city before taking over as DGP at the anti-corruption bureau a year ago.
Additionally, sources said Kumar enjoyed the confidence of powers that counted and maintained close rapport with a few IAS officers and an advisor to the state government.
Kumar, due to retire in January 2026, is likely to continue in the key post through the Assembly elections due late 2023, as well as the Lok Sabha polls slated for early 2024.
The career of Anjani Kumar
Anjani Kumar, who belongs to the 1990 batch, had held many key positions.
He got his first posting as Janagama ASP in the Warangal district. Later, he served as tin superintendent of police of Mahabubnagar, Prakasam and Guntur districts.
In 1998, he was part of the UN International Police Task Force (IPTF) at wacounter-intelligencegovina and was twice awarded the UN Peace Medal for his distinguished contributions.
He had worked in various capacities — as counter intelligence chief, Greyhounds chief, DIG of Nizamabad, Warangal IG, Hyderabad ACP, and commissioner of police.
“All round Support & Guidance all through the last eight years in transforming Telana gana Police into a Modern, Citizen friendly and Effective Service Delivery Organisation, achieving Excellence and setting benchmark standards. At personal level, I express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble for providing me an opportunity to lead Telangana Police for over five long years during its transformational phase, immensely contributing for the growth and development of the State,” Mahendar Reddy tweeted from the DGP’s official Twitter handle.
Citizen friendly, Responsive, Process driven, Tech Savvy Organization setting benchmarking standards. I wish all of them and their families the very best.
— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) December 31, 2022
