The Tripura government on Saturday appointed Anurag Dhankar, an IPS officer of the 1994 batch, as the state’s Director General of Police (DGP), replacing Amitabh Ranjan, who was scheduled to retire later this month.

IPS officer Anurag Dhankar led the CBI investigation against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, accused of siphoning off Rs 6,498.20 crore in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case.

Anurag Dhankar, currently the Tripura DGP (Intelligence), has served Tripura in different tenures for around 16 years, and he has vast experience in policing in the state.

According to a government order, Governor N Indrasena Reddy appointed Dhankar to the post of DGP, Tripura with immediate effect after consultation with the Union Public Service Commission.

During his tenure with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he worked as a superintendent of police, deputy inspector general, joint director, and additional director.

Dhankar also served as inspector general (personnel) in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and as Tripura Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) from 2013 to 2016, while on central deputation.

During 2003-04, Anurag Dhankar also served in the UN Mission in Kosovo and, from 2005 to 2013, he was on central deputation.

From 2016 to 2023, the IPS officer again went on central deputation and served as Inspector General, Research and Correctional Administration, Bureau of Police Research and Development and Inspector General (Personnel) in the Central Industrial Security Force, besides Joint Director and Additional Director in the CBI.

Anurag Dhankar has also served as the Special Investigation Team Chairman (1984 anti-Sikh riots) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.