New Delhi: Sanjay Mishra, who is part of the Indian revenue services, has been appointed as the new Enforcement Directorate director (ED) in an additional capacity for three months. He is also the principal special director in the same agency. 

Mishra, a 1984-batch IPS officer of Union Territories cadre, is the chief commissioner of income tax in Delhi. The present head, Karnal Singh, will retire today after heading the agency for more than two-and-half years.

I-T department sources said he has been involved in the probe against NDTV and has “guided” the investigation in the National Herald case involving the Gandhi family. Mishra has also served in Ahmedabad and has done stints in the ministry of home affairs and the Enforcement Directorate.

According to PTI, Mishra has not been empanelled as an additional secretary in the central government. Hence, he has been given the top ED charge in an additional capacity. He is expected to be empanelled soon and subsequently, will head the ED in a regular capacity, they added.

It was speculated that Singh’s tenure will be extended again but the developments in CBI prompted the government to appoint Mishra. 

Singh, sources said, too had decided to step back. He was given three extensions of three-month tenures in 2016 when he had an additional charge of the Director’s post. Following a court order, he was granted a two-year tenure effective October 2016.

Karnal Singh and Alok Verma are from the same UT cadre and both have had long stints in the Delhi Police.