Gujarat DGP Gets Six-month's Surprise Extension On Retirement Day

A native of Dhanbad, Bihar, Sahay joined the IPS in August 1989 and has spent the bulk of his career within Gujarat. His tenure as DGP, which began in March 2023, has been marked by a combination of technology-driven policing and strict internal discipline. He has previously served as SP in multiple districts, Commissioner of Police in Surat, and Inspector General in key Ahmedabad postings. From 2010 to 2016, he served as Director General of Raksha Shakti University, where he made significant contributions to police education and research. He has also held the positions of Additional DGP (Training) and Chairman of the Police Recruitment Board. During his service, he has been honoured with two President’s Police Medals.

As DGP, Sahay brought in measures that were often described as “quietly firm.” He introduced compulsory police escorts for school outings, suspended errant officers who travelled abroad without permission, and pursued action under “Operation Sindoor” for social media posts deemed seditious. FIRs were filed against 14 individuals for allegedly posting seditious content. He suspended four police personnel who traveled abroad without permission and took swift action against crime using drone surveillance. He also brought in drone-led crime surveillance and helped defuse a tense jurisdictional conflict between the CID and State Monitoring Service.

Although Dr. Shamsher Singh is next in line by seniority, his ongoing deputation with the BSF created a gap in immediate options. Other names doing the rounds internally—Manoj Agrawal, KLN Rao, Rajnish Rai, and Gyanendra Singh Malik—were considered, but the government seems to have chosen someone seasoned and already well-acquainted with the current administrative terrain.

With the extension now granted, the leadership handover has been effectively put on hold, giving the state more time to decide on a long-term successor.