THE Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) Tuesday approved the appointment of Subodh Kumar Jaiswal as the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of two years.
Jaiswal, a 1985 cadre IPS officer from Maharashtra, is a former DGP of that state and currently posted as the director-general of the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF).
The ACC is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Home Minister Amit Shah its member.
A high-powered committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Congress Lok Sabha floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday recommended a panel of three persons that included Jaiswal.
Besides, Jaiswal, the other two persons recommended by the high power committee were Sashastra Seema Bal(SSB) DG, Kumar Rajesh Chandra and Special Secretary in the Home Ministry, VSK Kaumudi. Of the three names, the ACC approved the name of Jaiswal.
As per reports, the names of former CBI special director Rakesh Asthana and NIA head Y.C. Modi were also under consideration but they failed to make it to the panel of three after the Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana reportedly cited a rule during the three-member panel meeting on Monday that ruled them out.
NDTV reported that CJI Ramana, referring to a Supreme Court judgment, insisted that a police officer with less than six months of service should be not considered for the post. Apparently, it is for the first time that such a rule has been invoked in the selection of a new CBI director.
Following the retirement on February 2 of the then CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, the Centre, instead of convening the high power committee, appointed Praveen Sinha as an acting CBI Director till the appointment of the new CBI Director, or until further orders.
On March 12, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Central government on a petition seeking the appointment of a regular director to CBI.