Telangana intelligence chief V Naveen Chand\'s tenure likely to be extended

Hyderabad: TS Intelligence chief V. Naveen Chand is likely to get an extension, enabling him to continue to serve as the “eyes and ears” of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for some more time. He was appointed to the key post after the abrupt transfer of the then Intelligence chief B. Shivadhar Reddy in September 2016 post the encounter of renegade naxal and gangster Nayeemuddin.

A 1996 batch officer of the state police services, Naveen Chand is due for retirement on October 31.

Sources told Deccan Chronicle that during the last four years as IG, Intelligence, Naveen Chand, a native of Karimnagar district, has worked to the satisfaction of the powers-that-be, especially when it comes to political intelligence.

Known to keep a very low profile, it is learnt that Naveen Chand had carried out surveys on many aspects and issues concerning governance and the elections, which was relied upon heavily by top government functionaries to further strengthen the party across the state.

"The decision to grant extension to Naveen Chand was taken long ago, a colleague of Naveen Chand said.

Though the duration of the extension is not known, sources said that the powers-that-be would want him to be around for some more time. With or without the extension, Naveen Chand has been the longest serving Intelligence chief ever since Telangana state was formed in 2014. In case he gets an extension, he will be the first state Intelligence chief to do so.