Radha Vinod Raju, Special DGP, J & K, has been named as the Director-General of the newly created National Investigation Agency (NIA).

A government spokesperson said that 59 year old Raju, a 1975-batch IPS officer, who heads the vigilance department in the militancy-hit state, will be the head of NIA till January 31, next year.

Speaking on this, an elated Raju said, “I am honoured to have been assigned with this task.”

“The job at hand is to establish the infrastructure, get suitable officers and start cracking. The rest will follow in due course,” added Raju.

Raju was preferred for the sensitive job in view of his extensive knowledge and skills in investigating high-profile cases, including assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Apart from this, Raju had a vast experience in CBI. As special DGP in J&K, he had revived the vigilance wing which had almost been defunct due to years of militancy.

It is believed that Home Minister P Chidambaram advocated Raju’s name to the appointments committee of cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah, J&K Chief Minister has issued orders relieving Raju so as to facilitate him to move to the Centre. Raju was to retire on July 31 this year.

It may be here recalled that NIA was set up in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack. The main purpose of NIA would be to probe terror attacks in any part of the country, covering offences, including challenge to the country’s sovereignty and integrity, bomb blasts, hijacking of aircraft and ships, and attacks on nuclear installations. It is also learnt that NIA would pick officers from the Army and the police.