Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) Rakesh Asthana was appointed the Commissioner of Delhi Police. A 1984-batch IPS officer from Gujarat cadre, Asthana was appointed the Delhi police chief, three days before his superannuation.
Known for his professional competence and integrity, Asthana was drawn into an unsavory controversy when he locked horns with then CBI Director Alok Verma as a Special Director on conduct over high profile cases. Asthana was shunted out along with Alok Verma, on January 10, 2019, and appointed the post of Director General Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
While the government had given additional charge of Delhi Police to Balaji Srivastava after the retirement of S N Shrivastava, the decision to appoint Asthana has been taken. Asthana is known for criminal investigation and was the key player in the unravelling of the Indian Mujahideen in Gujarat in the past decade.