PM Modi is heading the committee to select the next director of the CBI. (File)
New Delhi:
A meeting to select the next chief of the CBI was attended by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Leader of the Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s house on Sunday with the powerful panel short-listing three candidates.
The committee is considering Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from four senior-most batches (1984-87) to be the next Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief.
The meeting of the top panel, which lasted for more than 90 minutes, finally took place after being delayed for nearly four months.
Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police and a 1985-batch IPS officer HC Awasthi, Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) KR Chandra and Special Secretary (Internal Security) at home affairs ministry VSK Kaumudi have been shortlisted for the post.
In total, over 100 officers from the 1984-87 batches were considered by the committee.
The law says the committee will select the CBI director “on the basis of seniority, integrity and experience in the investigation of anti-corruption cases” from a list of IPS officers drawn from the four senior-most batches.
The officer selected as CBI director will hold office for a period of not less than two years from the date on which he or she takes charge.
After completing two years, RK Shukla retired as CBI director in February this year. The senior-most Additional Director in the CBI, Praveen Sinha, has been working as CBI Director till the appointment of full-time chief.