Will Centre give CBI chief Anil Kumar Sinha brief extension

With the term of present CBI director Anil Kumar Sinha coming to an end on December 2, the exercise for finding his successor has been initiated by the Centre. Sources said the government is preparing a list of senior IPS officials (all from 1979 batch to 1982) of the country for the coveted post.

While several names are doing the rounds, theories are also being floated that Mr Sinha may be given a short-term extension. A 1979-batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, Mr Sinha became the CBI director when the agency was facing a lot of criticism for its investigation into the coal block allocation scam. Among the prominent names, which could make the cut as the CBI director, are the CBI special director R.K. Dutta (1981 batch Karnataka cadre), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) director general Archana Ramasundram (1980-batch IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre), Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) director general M.C. Borwankar, Delhi Police commissioner Alok Verma (1979-batch IPS officer of the Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories cadre) and Maharashtra DGP Satish Mathur (1981 batch IPS).

After the enactment of the Lok Pal Act — meant to give more teeth to the CBI — the director of the agency has to be appointed by a collegium of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India or his nominee and the Leader of the Opposition.

“As per the existing norm, the Central government has to appoint the CBI director on the recommendation of the collegium only,” sources said.

“The Centre is preparing a list of senior most IPS officers from 1979 to 1982 batches. As per the Supreme Court guidelines, officials having experience in anti-corruption or the CBI from the seniormost four batches of the IPS cadre will be empanelled, following which a screening of three officers would be sent to the collegium,” sources said.