KATHMANDU – The government is preparing to appoint AIG (Additional Inspector General) Om Joshi as the head of the country’s only intelligence agency, the National Investigation Department (NID). Joshi is set to replace the current chief of the department, Hutaraj Thapa.
Thapa is scheduled for mandatory retirement on Bhadra 28 (i.e., mid-September). After his retirement, Joshi ranks first in terms of seniority. A high-level political source has claimed that the Cabinet meeting scheduled for this week is likely to appoint Joshi to the position.
AIG Tekendra Karki is also a contender for the role of the department’s chief.
Both Joshi and Karki entered the National Investigation Department as inspectors on Poush 5, 2053 BS (December 20, 1996). Since then, Joshi has remained ahead in seniority from the post of Deputy Investigation Director onwards.
Joshi was promoted to the rank of AIG on Shrawan 28, 2079 BS (August 13, 2022), while Karki was promoted on Bhadra 29 (around mid-September 2022). Earlier, the government had appointed Chandra Kumar Khapung-the most senior among the AIGs-as the Chief of Nepal Police.
