Jaipur: In a significant development within the Rajasthan Police force, the state government has promoted two senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, Ashok Kumar Rathore and Malini Agarwal, to the prestigious rank of Director General of Police (DGP). Both officers belong to the 1994 batch and have held critical leadership positions within the department.
The promotions were officially announced on Sunday evening, June 29, 2025, and will take effect from July 1, 2025. As per the order, both officers have been placed in Pay Matrix Level 16, signifying their elevation to the top tier of the state police hierarchy.
Leaders in Training and Civil Rights to Continue in Current Roles
Despite their promotions, the officers will continue in their existing roles based in Jaipur until further instructions are issued by the Home Department.
Mr Rathore currently serves as Additional Director General (ADG), Training, where he has been overseeing capacity-building programs for police personnel across Rajasthan. In his career, he has held several prominent positions, including heading the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). He has also served as the Police Commissioner of Jodhpur and as Additional Director General (Vigilance).
He was slated for promotion in line with the routine vacancy arising from the retirement of Ravi Prakash Meharda, who is set to superannuate on June 30. Meharda is currently serving as Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while also holding the additional charge of Director General of Police (DGP).
Ms Agarwal serves as ADG, Civil Rights and Anti-Human Trafficking, a post critical to the protection of vulnerable populations and ensuring human rights compliance within policing efforts. Her promotion comes in the wake of former DGP Utkal Ranjan Sahoo’s appointment as Chairman of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission, which created an additional vacancy at the Director General (DG) level.
Currently, there are seven officers serving at the DG rank in the state. With DG Meharda set to retire today, the number is expected to reduce further. Meanwhile, other senior IPS officers – Rajeev Sharma, Rajesh Nirwan, and Rajesh Arya – are presently on central deputation.
Recognized for Service and Experience
Both officers bring over three decades of experience in policing and administration. Their promotion underscores the state government’s recognition of their sustained contribution to law enforcement, training modernization, civil liberties, and specialized units dealing with trafficking and rights violations.
Rajasthan’s First DG Couple
Malini Agarwal, a senior IPS officer, is married to Sanjay Agarwal, a 1992-batch IPS officer from Rajasthan. Sanjay Agarwal is currently a leading candidate for the position of Director General of Police (DGP) in the state. If appointed, the couple will make history as the first in Rajasthan to serve simultaneously at the DG level.
Ms Agarwal herself recently achieved the distinction of becoming the second woman IPS officer in Rajasthan to reach the DG rank. The first was Nina Singh, a 1989-batch officer who retired as the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), making her the first woman to head the organization.
Another notable administrative couple in Rajasthan is Rathore and his wife, Gayatri Rathore. She is a 1997-batch IAS officer currently serving as the Principal Secretary in the Medical and Health Department.
