Calcutta, March 31: The state government today shuffled several senior IPS officers and brought in new faces among the top brass of the Criminal Investigation Department at a time when the organisation is handling several key cases.

A notification by the home department said Ranjit Mohanty — additional director-general of state armed police — will be the new CID chief.

Inspector-general of armed police R.K. Johri is the new inspector-general of CID, a post that has been lying vacant after its previous incumbent, P.N. Saha, retired a fortnight ago.

Home department sources said chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee met with chief secretary S.N. Roy and home secretary Amit Kiran Deb before approving the appointment of the new CID chief and the inspector-general this morning. The CID is at present investigating several key cases like the robbery and rape of women in Dhantola in Nadia district and the kidnapping of businessmen in the Asansol and Durgapur areas of Burdwan district.

Khadim vice-chairman Parthapratim Roy Burman’s kidnapping case is also being heard in court and it is important for investigators to keep track of witnesses. The main accused in the case, Aftab Ansari, is lodged in Presidency jail, facing trail.

The government also transferred inspector-general of police Partha Bhattacharya from traffic to the state armed police. Bhattacharya had earlier supervised the Khadim’s case.

The government has also posted a lady IPS officer, Mamta Anurag, as deputy inspector-general of the Intelligence Branch. Anurag had recently served in Jalpaiguri division.