WB govt creates new directorate of STF

The West Bengal government on Monday created a new directorate of the Special Task Force to deal with offences primarily like circulation of fake Indian currency notes, narcotics, illegal arms and ammunition and explosives.

According to a notification, the STF, which was only an essential wing of Kolkata police, will now be operational throughout the state.

The STF would also look after money laundering, funding of terrorism, or offences against the state, it said.

Apart from one ADG, one IG, there would be two officers in the rank of deputy inspector general (DIG) and four officers in the rank of superintendent of police (SP) would be there in the STF, it said.

Darjeeling IGP Ajay Kumar Nand was appointed as the IG of the STF while Nishant Pervez DIG (operations) CID was named DIG of the STF, it said.

"It was felt that in order to strengthen the STF it must be made a separate body and must work independently. There have been several incidents of FICN rackets nabbed in recent times. The Kolkata Police's STF unit has been doing a fabulous job for the last few years, but we now require an unit to look after the entire state. Hence this decision was taken, a senior official of the state home department said.