By IANS
New Delhi : Ending month long speculation, Special Commissioner (Administration) Yudhvir Singh Dadwal, a 1974-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was Wednesday named the new Delhi Police Commissioner.
He will take over from K.K. Paul Thursday.
"I am very delighted with the news and waiting for the last clearance from the Delhi government," an overwhelmed Dadwal told IANS.
"Dadwal's name has been cleared by the Home Ministry for the post of Delhi Police Commissioner and formal orders have been dispatched to all concerned departments," said a Home Ministry spokesman.
Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat confirmed Dadwal's appointment.
"We have received (a) letter from the Home Ministry about his (Dadwal) appointment," said Bhagat.
Outgoing commissioner Paul will move to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as a member. He served as the national capital's police chief for over 40 months, the longest tenure ever.
Former commissioner Ajay Raj Sharma had served the city for the second longest period of three years.
Dadwal, who is said to be familiar with every police station and all station house officers (SHOs), was selected ahead of highly decorated officer Kiran Bedi, an IPS officer of the 1972 batch.
According to sources, the decision swung in Dadwal's favour because of his reputation and long association with the city police.
"It was a tough competition as Bedi too has the reputation of being a tough police official. She has earned several accolades, including the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award," a senior police official said.
"She was not given the Delhi Police rein because she has not been actively involved with the city police functioning for many years. The other reason could probably be her outspoken personality. Bureaucrats in the ministry were also said to be opposing her," the official explained.
Bedi had served as a Delhi Police joint commissioner before being promoted as director general (home guards). She was recently appointed director general of the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
Dadwal, a postgraduate in History, will be the 16th police commissioner since 1978, when Delhi Police started a new ranking system.
Born on Oct 14, 1951, he has been superintendent of police at Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 1980, he got his first major assignment in the national capital when he was appointed as an additional deputy commissioner of police.
He was also the inspector general of police (IGP) of the union territory of Chandigarh during 1993-1995. Under his supervision, Chandigarh Police arrested two assailants of the then chief minister of Punjab Beant Singh within five days of the tragedy.
He has been awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Services, Police Medal for Meritorious Services and Kathin Sewa Medal on four occasions.