SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: In a major administrative and security-related development, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the transfer of senior IPS officer Mukesh Singh, currently serving as Director General of Police (DGP) of Ladakh, to Manipur on inter-cadre deputation for a period of three years.
The move is being viewed as a strong signal from the Union government regarding its approach towards handling the prolonged ethnic violence and administrative instability in Manipur.
Although the Centre has not yet formally issued the order appointing Singh as Director General of Police of Manipur, official sources indicate that the senior AGMUT cadre officer is expected to take over as the state’s new police chief shortly.
Centre Approves Transfer as “Special Case in Public Interest”
According to an official notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the deputation was approved following a proposal sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 15, 2026.
The order stated that the approval has been granted as a “special case in public interest,” with relaxation of standard inter-cadre deputation norms and waiver of the mandatory cooling-off period after central deputation.
Mukesh Singh had only recently taken charge as DGP of Ladakh in January 2026 after replacing S. D. Singh Jamwal, who was later posted to Arunachal Pradesh.
He formally assumed office as DGP of the Union Territory of Ladakh on January 15, 2026.
Mukesh Singh to Replace Rajiv Singh in Manipur
Singh is expected to replace Rajiv Singh, who has been moved from Manipur to the Centre as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat following a difficult tenure during the ongoing conflict in the northeastern state.
The change in leadership comes at a time when the Centre is increasingly relying on experienced officers with counter-terrorism and conflict-management backgrounds to stabilize Manipur’s security environment.
AGMUT Officers Now Heading Both Administration and Police in Manipur
With Singh’s likely appointment, both the administrative and policing structures of Manipur would effectively be led by AGMUT cadre officers.
Puneet Kumar Goel is already serving as Chief Secretary of Manipur.
The simultaneous placement of non-state cadre IAS and IPS officers at the top of the state administration is being seen as an unusual but strategic bureaucratic arrangement by New Delhi to directly oversee governance and security operations in the violence-hit state.
Officials believe the move is intended to reduce local political pressures and restore institutional neutrality amid deepening trust deficits among communities.
Extensive Counter-Terrorism Experience
A 1996-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre, Mukesh Singh is a BTech graduate in Civil Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.
Over the course of his career, he has held several sensitive postings in Jammu and Kashmir, including:
- Superintendent of Police, Reasi
- Superintendent of Police, Pulwama
- Superintendent of Police, Poonch
- Superintendent of Police, Jammu
These assignments came during periods of heightened militancy and insurgency operations.
Key Role in Building the NIA
Singh was also part of the core team involved in establishing the National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s premier counter-terrorism investigation agency.
During his tenure at the NIA, he served in multiple capacities including:
- Superintendent of Police
- Deputy Inspector General (DIG)
- Inspector General (IG)
He handled several high-profile terrorism investigations and remained closely associated with anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Academic Contributions and Publications
Apart from operational policing, Mukesh Singh has also contributed to police training and research literature.
He has co-authored the book Police Operations and co-published research papers including:
- Investigation of Encounter Killings (2016)
- Police Operations (2015)
- Conducting an Anti-Terrorist Operation (2014)
Read also: Maharashtra Govt Transfers 41 Police Officers; Praveen Padwal Moved as Special IG, VIP Security
