SC restrains first woman CBI additional director from discharging her duties

The Supreme Court on Friday issued orders restraining the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) first woman Additional Director, Archana Ramasundaram, from discharging her duties.

Ramasundaram was appointed to the post on Thursday.

The apex court said that prima facie there was a strong view that her selection was not done as per the procedure laid down and that she appeared to be a government choice, which was not approved by the selection committee.

On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Government had suspended Ramasundaram hours after she took charge as the additional director in the CBI.

Tamil Nadu's Chief Secretary Mohan Verghese Chungath sent out Ramasundaram's suspension order late on Thursday evening as the 1980-batch officer didn't inform the state government about her new role in the CBI.

Explaining the state government's stand, a senior official said, "Archana Ramasundaram has deserted from her last position as the chairman of the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board."

The official said Ramasundaram sent her formal letter of shift to the CBI to Chief Secretary Chungath only on Thursday afternoon.

In a formal letter sent to the Centre, Chungath said, "The IPS officer should not be allowed to take charge in the new position. Even if she has already taken charge, she should be relieved immediately and sent to her headquarters (Tamil Nadu)."

However, the All India Services manual says that the Centre can depute an officer in extraordinary circumstances in which there is concurrence of the officer and the Centre even if the state government is not in agreement.