PM-led panel to meet on Jan 24 to pick CBI chief

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 16

The government today decided to call a meeting of the high-powered three-member selection committee on January 24 to pick the new CBI Director.

Sources said the panel headed by PM Narendra Modi would meet on January 24 to finalise on the name from among the list of three probable IPS officers belonging to either of three senior-most batches of 1983, 1984 and 1985. The other two members of the panel are Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and leader of the largest Opposition party (Congress) in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

Sources said the government had proposed to hold the meeting on January 21 earlier, but Kharge wanted it to be either on January 24 or 25. After consultations among the three members, it has been decided to convene the meeting on January 24.

After former CBI Director Alok Verma was transferred, Additional Director in the agency M Nageswara Rao was named the interim director.

The Congress has been attacking the PM for not appointing a regular CBI Director. Kharge had also written to the PM demanding early holding of the meeting to appoint a regular CBI Director.

The Tribune had already reported in its edition dated January 15 that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had expedited the process to shortlist three names for placing them before the PM-led panel.

Sources said Mumbai Police Commissioner Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, UP Police chief OP Singh and DG NIA YC Modi have emerged as frontrunners for the top job, though names of Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera and Special Secretary (Internal Security) Rina Mitra are also being considered.