High-level meeting shortlists three candidates for CBI Director's post

A high-level committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha met on Saturday evening and shortlisted three senior IPS officers for the post of CBI Director, sources said.

"The committee met and has sent three names to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet which will select one of them for the post," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told PTI over phone.

Sources said that names of senior IPS officers from Karnataka, Delhi and other states were discussed during the meeting.

CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal's fixed tenure of two years is coming to an end on May 25.

The name of Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood, a 1986-batch IPS officer from the state cadre, is doing the rounds as the frontrunner for the post, the sources said.

Former Mumbai Police Commission Jaiswal, a 1985-batch IPS officer from Maharashtra cadre took over the reins of the CBI on May 26, 2021.

The CBI Director is selected by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, CJI and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha for a fixed tenure of two years. The tenure can be extended up to five years.

During the meeting, the possible candidates for appointment as new Central Vigilance Commissioner and member Lok Pal were also discussed, the sources said.