News Analysis India

Tag: CBI director

  • CISF DG, Sashastra Seema Bal DG and MHA Special Secretary short-listed for CBI director post

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: 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.

  • Former CBI director Ranjit Sinha passes away

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Former CBI director Ranjit Sinha died here on Friday morning in what is believed to be a COVID-19 related death, senior officials said.

    He was 68.

    It is understood that he was confirmed positive for coronavirus on Thursday night and breathed his last at 4.30 am on Friday, the officials said.

    Sinha, a 1974-batch officer of the Bihar cadre and who had cracked the coveted UPSC examination at the age of 21, had taken over as the CBI chief in 2012.

    He had previously headed the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force, the Railway Protection Force and served at senior positions in the CBI in Patna and Delhi during his four-decade-long career in police service.

    “DG and all ranks of ITBP express their deepest condolences on sad demise of Sh Ranjit Sinha, former DG ITBP today. He served the force from September 1, 2011 to December 19, 2012 as DG and earlier as ADG and will always be remembered for his professional acumen and exceptional leadership. May his soul rest in peace,” the ITBP said in a statement.

    An M.Phil from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, Sinha was an avid reader and writer and a regular contributor on police-related issues in various journals and magazines.

    A recipient of Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, Sinha served as SSP in Ranchi, Madhubani and Saharsa districts and also as DIG of Naxal-affected Magadh Range in Bihar.

  • Consider convening meet of panel for CBI director’s appointment before May 2: SC to Centre

    Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Common Cause, alleged that the government is delaying the meeting of the selection committee as it wants to bypass the present Chief Justice of India.

  • PIL in Supreme Court for appointment of regular CBI Director by govt

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: A PIL has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking appointment of a regular Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director by the selection committee of the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) as per law.

    The PIL filed by NGO Common Cause stated instead of appointing a regular Director, the government has instead appointed an acting/interim Director after the term of the previous CBI Director got over.

    “The government has failed to appoint the Director of CBI as per Section 4A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 on the expiry of the term of the last incumbent Director Rishi Kumar Shukla on February 2 this year and has instead, vide order dated February 3, appointed Praveen Sinha as an interim/acting CBI Director till the appointment of new CBI Director, or until further orders,” the plea added. It has also sought a direction to the Centre to initiate and complete the process of selection of the CBI Director well in advance, at least 1 to 2 months before the date on which the vacancy in the post of CBI Director is about to occur in future.

    The appointment of the CBI Director has to be made on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, leader of the single largest Opposition party and the Chief Justice of India (or any Judge of Supreme Court nominated by CJI).

    The petition has pointed out that the top court in its judgement had clearly held that the tenure of CBI Director would be two years, and this was to ensure that there is no ad-hocism in the appointment and functioning of the CBI Director.

    “In a landmark judgement in 1998, the apex court had directed that Director CBI would have full freedom for allocation of work in the CBI including constitution of investigation teams. This Court had also directed that there should be a selection committee to identify a panel of names for the appointment of Director CBI, and thereafter the final selection to be made by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC). This Court also directed that the CBI Director would have a fixed tenure of two years. This was done to ensure that adhocism in the appointment and functioning of CBI Director is eliminated and his independence is maintained,” added the plea.

    The petition stated that CBI, being a premier investigation agency in the country, investigates the corruption-related offences connected with the Central and State governments entities and the apex court has time and again entrusted important cases of corruption and violation of human rights to the CBI for investigation.

    The petitioner urged the apex court to “to issue an appropriate writ directing the Union of India to appoint a regular Director of CBI forthwith by following the procedure laid down in Section 4A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, as amended by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.”