CBI: Narendra Modi-led panel to meet on Friday evening to pick new agency chief
Ahead of the meeting, the government on Thursday appointed four IPS officers to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
A Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee will meet on Friday evening to pick the new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is part of the panel, had said on Wednesday that the meeting would take place at 6 pm.
The panel, which also includes Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, had met on January 24, but the discussions had remained inconclusive. At that meeting, Kharge is believed to have sought details of the seniority and experience of around 80 Indian Police Service officers from four eligible batches, The Times of India reported.
The previous CBI director, Alok Verma, was removed by the committee on January 10, two days after being reinstated by the Supreme Court. Verma was first removed by the government on October 23 amid infighting at the agency and allegations of corruption. He then challenged the government’s move in the top court.
M Nageswara Rao was then appointed the interim chief of the agency. His appointment is currently under challenge in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the Centre on Thursday appointed four officers to the Central Bureau of Investigation, PTI reported. The government is believed to have taken into consideration the interim chief’s views for these appointments, according to unidentified officials.
Akhilesh Kumar Singh, a 2003-batch Indian Police Service officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, and AT Durai Kumar, a 2004-batch IPS from the Tamil Nadu cadre, have been appointed as deputy inspectors general. A 2008 batch IPS from Kerala cadre Putta Vimaladitya and a 2009-batch IPS from Uttar Pradesh cadre Akhilesh Kumar Chaurasia have been appointed superintendents of police.