Raghuvanshi out, Maria is new ATS chief

Twelve days after Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief K.P. Raghuvanshi disclosed sensitive details of a plot to attack Mumbai, the government removed him from the post. The city’s crime branch chief Rakesh Maria will now head the squad.

Twelve days after Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief K.P. Raghuvanshi disclosed sensitive details of a plot to attack Mumbai, the government removed him from the post. The city’s crime branch chief Rakesh Maria will now head the squad.

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“It will be a very challenging job,” Maria told HT. A 1981-batch Indian Police Service officer, he has been promoted to additional director general of police and asked to take charge from Monday.

Raghuvanshi has been transferred to the state police headquarters in Colaba as additional director general of police (law and order). The post had been lying vacant for three months.

Home department sources said Raghuvanshi was removed because Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram is furious with him for revealing details of a Pakistan-based handler of the two alleged terror operatives arrested in Mumbai on March 13. The handler, who was being monitored by intelligence agencies, disappeared after Raghuvanshi’s disclosure.

State Home Minister R.R. Patil was reluctant to remove Raghuvanshi, but acted due to pressure from the Centre and CM Ashok Chavan, sources said.

Patil has eased the ATS chief out as part of routine transfers but has given him a key post.

“Don’t read too much into it. These are routine transfers and promotions,” said Chandra Iyengar, additional chief secretary (home).

Maria was the undisputed choice because of his good track record in cracking cases.