Next CBI chief: Govt zeroes in on nine names

New Delhi, Jan 8: In the event of the Supreme Court passing a favourable order, CBI director, Alok Verma would get another 23 days in office. Verma who was sent on leave by the Centre following an ugly public spat with special director, CBI, Rakesh Asthana is due to retire on January 31 2019.

Verma had moved the Supreme Court challenging the midnight decision by the Centre to divest him of his powers. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi had reserved order in the matter on December 6.

During the pendency of the petition, the SC had said that the interim director, Nageshwar Rao will not take any policy decisions. The court had also said that the interim director would only keep the CBI running.

The next CBI chief:

The process to find the next CBI chief had already been set in motion. Sources in the government said that the routine exercise to find a new chief is undertaken every two years, when the term of the director is set to come to an end.

It is the Department of Personnel and Training that compiles a list of officers at the director general level eligible for selection as the next CBI boss every two years.

While finding a new CBI chief, the government would keep in mind the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in 2004. The court had said that officers from the four oldest serving batches of the IPS from 1982 to 1985 shall be in contention. The court also said that seniority, integrity and experience in investigations of anti-corruption shall be the criteria to be followed, while appointing a new chief.

Verma will retire on January 31 2019. If the SC orders that his powers be restored, then the same would be implemented. However a new chief will have to be appointed once his term ends.

The list is prepared by the DoPT, following which the final call is taken by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.

The next CBI chief:

• Rajesh Ranjan: Central Industrial Security Force chief
• Javeed Ahmad: Director of National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science
• Vivek Johri: Research and Analysis, Special Secretary
• O P Galhotra, Rajasthan Police chief
• Arun Kumar, Railway Protection Force chief
• Rina Mitra: Special Secretary (internal security), Home Ministry.
• Rajnikant Mishra: Border Security Force chief
• Y V Modi: National Investigation chief
• S S Deswal, Chief of Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief