We knew he would be one soon: DGP Nagrale’s father

Nagpur/Mumbai: As Namdeo Nagrale, 90, stepped out of his room to inquire the reason behind this reporter visiting their 56, Ramakrishna Colony residence at Dev Nagar, his daughter-in-law Devyani explained the nonagenarian that it was for collecting information about the formative years of his younger son Hemant who has just became Maharashtra’s director general of police (DGP), the highest post for the state’s cops, on Thursday.
“Tumcha Munna (Hemant Nagrale’s nickname) ata DGP zhala’ (Your Munna has now become the DGP),” Devyani told her father-in-law whose face lit up just at the mention of it. Nodding his head in affirmative, Namdeo gently walked up to the sofa in their drawing room.
“We knew he would be one soon,” said Namdeo. He was an executive engineer in the irrigation department in Madhya Pradesh and retired in 1988.
Nagrale on Thursday took over as DGP from Subodh Jaiswal, who is all set to take over as the DG (Central Industrial Security Force). An IPS officer of the 1987 batch, Nagrale will hold additional charge till a regular DGP is appointed. He is currently serving as DGP (legal and technical).
Home minister Anil Deshmukh expects that a regular DGP appointed very soon after following the due process prescribed by the Supreme Court. “We will submit the list of three senior most DGs to the central government and then a new DGP will be appointed as soon as possible,’’ said Deshmukh.
In the seniority list, Jaiswal is followed by Sanjay Pande (1986 batch, in charge of home guards), Bipin Bihari (police housing corporation), Surendra Pandey (prisons) and Nagrale, all belong to 1987 batch, and Mumbai CP Parambir Singh, 1988 batch.
Nagrale spent his early life in Bhadravati in Chandrapur district. In 1973, Nagrale senior and his wife Pramila decided to build a house in Nagpur and shift with their children, Dilip, Hemant and Kirti for their education.
The IPS officer learnt Judo from former cop Puroshattam Choudhury in 1978 and earned black belt. “He had even excelled in the national police games in Judo,” said Choudhury.
Devyani, who extolled Hemant for his determined approach, said he went to Morris College for coaching but largely studied on his own. “Sometimes, he (Hemant) would study from 8pm to 4am at a stretch. He would take part in sports, social activities and had various interests but was dedicated towards his goal,” she said.
Her husband Dilip, a retired NMC engineer, said the family was overwhelmed when TV channels started beaming the news. The family wished Hemant luck.
According to reports, government will submit the names of Sanjay Pandey, Nagrale and Parambir Singh for DGP’s post to the MHA, since Bipin Bihari is retiring on January 31, while Surendra Pandey retired on February 28.
As per the norms prescribed by the apex court, those officers, who have more than six months service for retirement are only considered for appointment as DGP.
If a senior cabinet member is to be believed, then Nagrale appears to be a front-runner for the DGP’s post.
BOX
Head: Many feathers in his cap
- Spent early life in Bhadravati in Chandrapur district where he studied till Std VI at a ZP school
- In Std VII, admitted at Patwardhan School in Sitabuldi, later completed BE (mechanical) from VNIT before qualifying for IPS
- Did Master of Finance Management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.
- Won president’s police medal and several national awards
- After passing out of the police academy, his first assignment was in Naxal infested Chandrapur district.
- As SP Ratnagiri, successfully handed the row over acquisition of land for the Enron power project
- As CP (CID) he probed into the much publicized MPSC paper scam, which resulted in a capital punishment by the apex court
- Worked in CBI in different capacities, as SP and DIG and supervised Ketan Parekh scam, Harshad Mehta cases and Madhaopura Coop bank scam
- From May 2016 to July 2018, he was commissioner of police, Navi-Mumbai, before his appointment as DG (legal and technical)