Kumar is said to be close to both Narendra Modi and Amit Shah; NIA will be headed by YC Modi, who had given a clean chit to the then Gujarat CM, Narendra Modi, in the Godhra riots case

India Legal learns that NIA DG Sharad Kumar (IPS) is set to become DG investigation at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Kumar had, surprisingly, been given unprecedented extensions at the top post of the country’s premier investigating agency and had been personally handling the sensitive Malegaon and Samjhauta Express blast cases. He is said to be close to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah. Kumar’s tenure at the NIA ends on October 30.

It may be recalled that the NIA had come under severe attack from the Opposition for giving a clean chit to Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in the 2007 Malegaon blast case. Swami Aseemanand, also a suspect in the Ajmer blasts, was recently acquitted, though two former RSS members were convicted.

On superannuation from NIA, Kumar, who is from Uttar Pradesh, was re-employed in the same post, though on a contract for a year. This was further extended.

Meanwhile, as Kumar leaves for his new assignment, the NIA will be headed by YC Modi, another senior IPS officer. Modi had given a clean chit to Narendra Modi (then chief minister of Gujarat) in a Godhra riot case of 2002. YC Modi was part of the investigating CBI team.

YC Modi’s appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and was announced by the Department of Personnel and Training. He will be at his post till he retires on May 31, 2021.

—India Legal Bureau