IPS officer probing coal blocks scam gets extension

IPS officer Keshav Ram Chaurasia, who is probing coal blocks allocation scam, was today given an extension of about three years.
The decision is based on the recommendation of the CBI selection committee that had met earlier this month to consider the proposal for extending the deputation tenure of Chaurasia, from June 7, 2016 to June 6, 2019.
He is a 2003 batch IPS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre and presently working as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Central Bureau of Investigation.
The committee was informed that the officer is part of the CBI team which is investigating the coal block allocation cases. The Supreme Court had directed that the officers associated with the inquiry and investigation of coal block allocation cases should be not changed without leave of the court.

Hence, the Home Ministry has taken up the matter with the state government concerned for grant of cadre clearance in respect of the officer for the said period.
The committee has recommended that the apex court may be apprised of the facts and instruction sought from it about continuance of the officer in the CBI.

Till such time the instructions of the apex court are available or till June 6, 2019, whichever is earlier, the officer may be continued in his present position, an order by Department of Personnel and Training said.
Besides him, IPS officer Sonal Agnihotri has also got extension till May 30, 2018. Agnihotri, a 2004 batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, is an SP in the CBI.

Two more officers -- IPS officer Jayant J Naiknaware and IRS officer Sudhanshu Dhar Mishra -- have been inducted as SP in the CBI for initial period of four years, another order said.