Our Bureau
NEW DELHI/SHILLONG: A man credited with unearthing one of the biggest match-fixing scandals in international cricket and nabbing master conman Charles Sobhraj will be the new Governor of Meghalaya.
Former Delhi Police Commissioner Dr Krishan Kant Paul will replace RS Mooshahary, whose term ended on Sunday, a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Monday.
A 1970 batch IPS officer, Dr Paul joined as a member of Union Public Service Commission from on 26, 2007.
His wife, Amita Paul, is the Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Dr Paul has been credited with making Delhi Police into one of the most modern police forces in the country. He is known to have had one of the longest ever tenures in Delhi as Commissioner of Police.
He is the recipient of several commendations and appreciations from the Government, besides “Kathin Seva Padaks” and with Bar, President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services and Police Medal for Meritorious Services besides the Internal Security Medal.
Dr Paul, who has served in the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing, led the police investigation that linked former South African skipper Hansie Cronje to the match-fixing scandal.
Dr Paul was superintendent of police when Sobhraj was arrested from a south Delhi hotel for drugging about 60 French students.
An M.Sc (Hons) and a Ph.D in Chemistry from Panjab University, Dr Paul joined IPS in 1970 and was allocated to the UT (AGMUT) Cadre. He was amongst the first Ph.Ds in Police Service. In the context of his research work in Chemistry, he has over 20 papers published in international scientific journals of repute.
He also served as the police chief in Arunachal Pradesh. He also had tenures in the Central Intelligence Agencies.
While posted in Delhi, he had wide ranging experience of urban policing and was involved in handling some mega events like the Asian Games in 1982, followed by NAM and CHOGM in 1983.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has welcomed the appointment of Dr Paul as the new Governor of the State.
“I would look forward to work closely with him in the pursuits for the overall growth and development of the State,” Dr Sangma said on Monday.
Najeeb Jung New Delhi LG: Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Milia university and a seasoned bureaucrat Najeeb Jung was appointed as the new Lt Governor of Delhi. According to a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, 62-year-old Jung becomes the 20th Lt Governor of the national capital replacing two-time LG Tejendra Khanna who had an eventful stint from April 2007. Jung was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in 2009.
Meanwhile, former Southern Army Commander Lt Gen (retd) A K Singh takes over as the new Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island from Lt. General Bhopinder Singh (Retd.) who completed his five-year tenure in March this year. Former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President and former Rajya Sabha member Virendra Kataria has been appointed as the new Lt Governor of Puducherry succeeding Iqbal Singh. (With inputs from our New Delhi, Shillong correspondents and agencies)