PESB defends decision to go ahead with selection of CCI CMD

Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) today said it "did the right thing" by going ahead with the interview for selection of the Cement Corporation of India (CCI) Chairman, despite the CBI's reservations.
PESB Chairman Atul Chaturvedi had written to Cabinet Secretary alleging CBI interference in the selection of the top boss of CCI.
"We have gone ahead and made the selection. We thought we are doing the right thing. We checked our information and records and found nothing against the person (CCI CMD)," Chaturvedi told PTI.
Media reports earlier said Chaturvedi in his letter complained that a CBI joint director had delivered an unsigned note to PESB member R Gopalan on March 26, a day before the interview.

Defending his action, Chaturvedi said: "That is what we are saying. We don't take cognisance of any unsigned note sent to our office".
The issue in the complaint received by the CBI was about the shortlisting of candidates in which the PESB added one more candidate days before the interview. The candidate had been on lien or loaned to another PSU and was treated as an outsider.

His lien was terminated before the interview which not only made him eligible as an internal candidate but also the senior most within CCI.
Defending the CBI communication, Sinha had yesterday said that the agency had received "credible information" about some alleged irregularities taking place in the selection process of the CMD for CCI.

"Keeping in mind the paucity of time, a Joint Director was sent along with the complaint to PESB member R Gopalan as the chairman was on leave," Sinha said, adding, they were merely asked to take action if they felt the need to do so.
"I am astonished at the PESB chairman's complaint to the Cabinet Secretary after more than a month. I don't know why they are making a mountain of a molehill. We deemed it fit to alert them. They still decided to go ahead with the interview and that was their decision," Sinha said.