It brings to a close a distinguished career that saw him investigate famous cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including those involving diamond traders Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi, as well as fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya.

Kumar is a former Special Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). His departure comes less than a year after he was repatriated from the ED and posted as Commissioner (Appeals) in Siliguri, West Bengal.

The Government of India had approved Kumar’s application for Voluntary Retirement from Service (VRS) in April, but the formal orders were issued only recently, officials said.

A 2004-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Customs and Indirect Taxes cadre, Kumar was scheduled to retire in 2037 upon attaining the age of superannuation. But he is making an early exit.

No Official Reason

Even as no official reason - beyond personal considerations - for taking VRS has been publicly disclosed, sources close to him said that Kumar has decided to explore future professional opportunities outside the government system.

Over nearly 12 years in ED, he built a reputation as one of the country’s foremost investigators of cases under PMLA. His tenure in the ED made him one of the longest-serving officers on deputation in the agency. Joining the agency as a Deputy Director in 2013, Kumar steadily rose through the ranks, serving as Joint Director in Mumbai before being elevated as Special Director of Enforcement in December 2022.

Initially based in Mumbai, where he supervised several major investigations from the ED’s Western Regional Office, Kumar was transferred to Kolkata in September 2024 to head the agency’s Eastern Region.

In May 2025, however, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet curtailed his tenure in the ED and repatriated him to his parent cadre. He was subsequently appointed Commissioner (Appeals) in Siliguri.

High-Profile Cases

Among the most sensational cases he led was the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud involving fugitive diamond traders Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. The alleged fraud, estimated at more than ₹13,000 crore, ranks among India’s largest banking scandals.

His probe team members credit Kumar with a key role in tracing financial transactions, identifying domestic and overseas assets, and coordinating international cooperation efforts. He was closely involved in presenting evidence before courts in the UK, assisting Indian authorities in opposing Nirav Modi’s bail applications and extradition challenges.

They also attribute to him a significant part in identifying and attaching foreign assets believed to represent the proceeds of crime linked to the fraud.

Kumar also supervised the ED’s probe into Vijay Mallya and the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The investigation centred on allegations relating to large-scale bank loan defaults and financial irregularities.

Another major case associated with his tenure was the high-profile Mahadev online betting app. Conducted by the ED’s Mumbai office, it examined an extensive financial network allegedly linked to illegal betting operations and money trails involving businessmen and politically connected individuals.

Beyond these headline-grabbing investigations, Kumar supervised probes into several others, including the Yes Bank-DHFL fraud case, the HPZ Token cryptocurrency scam, and cases associated with late underworld figure Iqbal Mirchi.

His retirement marks the end of more than two decades of public service and nearly 12 years at the forefront of India’s anti-money laundering enforcement efforts.