Who will be the next CBI chief? PM Modi-led panel shortlists these three names; Congress protests

New Delhi, May 24: Director General CISF Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, SSB DG Kumar Rajesh Chandra and Special Secretary Home Ministry VSK Kaumudi were short-listed for the post of CBI director during a meeting of a high-powered committee, comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and two others, on Monday, sources said.

Jaiswal, a 1985-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, is a former Maharashtra director general of police. He is at present the director general the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

Chandra, a 1985-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, is at present posted as the director general of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), while Kaumudi, a 1986-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, is posted as the special secretary for internal security in the Home Ministry.

The name of Uttar Pradesh DGP HC Awasthy, a 1985-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was also under consideration.

The meeting of the high-powered committee, comprising Prime Minister Modi, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, started around 6:30 pm at the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, official residence of the Prime Minister, the sources said.

During the 90-minute meeting, Chowdhury objected to the process of selection of officers for the coveted post of CBI director.

"The way procedure was followed it was in conflict of the mandate of the committee. On 11th (May), I was given 109 names and today by 1 pm, 10 names were shortlisted and by 4 pm, six names were shortlisted. This casual approach of DoPT (department of personnel and training) is highly objectionable," Chowdhury told PTI.

The post of CBI director is vacant since the then incumbent Rishi Kumar Shukla retired on February 4 after a two-year stint.

The charge for the post was handed to Additional Director Praveen Sinha, a 1988-batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer, till a formal appointment is made.

Chowdhury said later a list of 10 names were sent to him at 4.30 pm, which included five who were pensioners, had retired from service and were on extension.

Later six more names out of the list of 109 names were sent, he said.

Chowdhury raised strong objections to the approach adopted by the DoPT in the process.

During the meeting, the Congress leader sought deferment of the selection process, but the other two members said they wanted to move ahead with the appointment and Chowdhury disagreed with them, sources said.

The post of CBI director is vacant since the then incumbent Rishi Kumar Shukla retired on February 4 after a two-year stint.