The posting of M. Sunil Naik, a 2005-batch IPS officer, as the superintendent of police of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) would improve the functioning of the unit.

Naik, an engineering graduate from IIT-Madras, was appointed as the SP of the state's ATS on Saturday. The post was vacant since January.

The posting assumes significance in wake of the alert sounded by intelligence agencies about threat to many politicians from terror outfits during the upcoming Assembly polls.

The selection of Naik, a native of Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district, is based on his past performance.

He had performed exceptionally well during his posting as the district police chiefs of Kaimur and Munger.

He was recently credited with busting an inter-state gang in Kaimur, which indulged in kidnapping minor boys for ransom after getting accommodation in the victims' houses on rent.

Naik's tenure as SP of Munger, however, courted a controversy after he had sent his crime reader Mohammad Salim to jail on charges of allegedly leaking secret information to Maoists operating in the region. As the matter later took political overtones, Naik was shifted from the district. Naik had survived at least two attacks on his life, which prompted him to keep a close surveillance on the men in uniform.

Later, it was detected that secret information about the police operations were allegedly leaked to the rebels by cops deployed at his official residence. "Naik's role during the Maoist operation in Lakhisarai's Kajra in which a group of policemen were made hostage, was no less important," a senior IPS officer posted at the police headquarters said.