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Subodh Kumar Jaiswal takes charge as CBI director
The appointment is significant as the Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by an NGO—Common Cause—on the delay in the appointment of a regular CBI chief.
Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, the former director general of police (DGP) of Maharashtra, on Wednesday took charge as the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Jaiswal will have a fixed tenure of two years in the central probe agency or until further orders. Jaiswal’s appointment came after a high-powered committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising chief justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana and Congress Lok Sabha floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury appointed the 1985-batch Maharashtra cadre Indian Police Force (IPS) officer to the post on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Chowdhury had objected to the process of selection of officers for the coveted post, but later agreed to the three names. "The way the procedure was followed, it was in conflict with the mandate of the committee. On 11th (May), I was given 109 names and today (Monday) by 1pm, 10 names were shortlisted and by 4pm, six names were shortlisted. This casual approach of DoPT (department of personnel and training) is highly objectionable," Chowdhury told PTI.
The appointment is significant as the Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by an NGO—Common Cause—on the delay in the appointment of a regular CBI chief.
The IPS officer was posted as director general of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). In his earlier deputation, Jaiswal served with the Special Protection Group (SPG), which secures the Prime Minister and with the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the country’s external intelligence agency.
The post of CBI director was lying vacant since February when Rishi Kumar Shukla completed his tenure. Additional director Praveen Sinha was looking after the affairs of the premier investigation agency as interim chief since then.
