National Investigation Agency chief leads race to head CBI
The government had proposed the meeting on January 21 earlier, while Mr Kharge wanted it to be held on either January 24 or 25.
New Delhi: With the high-powered selection committee all set to meet on January 24 to appoint the new CBI director, Y.C. Modi, who is currently holding the post of National Investigation Agency chief, has emerged as the strong contender for the post.
The high-powered selection committee that will meet on Thursday to appoint the new CBI director is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, and the Chief Justice of India (or his representative) as its two other members. The government had proposed the meeting on January 21 earlier, while Mr Kharge wanted it to be held on either January 24 or 25.
“A 1984-batch officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Y.C. Modi has over 33 years of experience. He has also served in the CBI for several years. In his two stints there, in 2002-2010 and 2015-2017, Mr Modi handled special crimes and economic offences as well as anti-corruption cases,” said a source, adding that “Y.C. Modi’s long service in the CBI and knowledge about the functioning of the agency is the biggest advantage for him”.
A source further added: “A total of 17 officers of four batches — 1982 to 1985 — are eligible for the post of CBI director, out of which six officers have been shortlisted by the department of personnel and training (DoPT). Modi seems to be the frontrunner for the post.”
Earlier, Mr Kharge had written to the Prime Minister demanding early holding of the meeting of the high-powered committee to appoint a regular CBI director. Mr Kharge had alleged the government was scared of a CBI led by an “independent” director. Barely two days after the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma, he was removed as CBI director by the committee headed by Mr Modi on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty, in an unprecedented action in the investigative agency’s 55-year history. There were eight charges against Mr Verma in the CVC report that was presented before the committee, which also comprised Mr Kharge and Justice A.K. Sikri, the nominee of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.