Selection committee appoints Rishi Kumar Shukla as new CBI chief

(Image: PTI)

Moneycontrol News 

A high-powered selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed Rishi Kumar Shukla, as the new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Shukla, a 1983-batch officer, is also a former Director General of Police for Madhya Pradesh. He will take up the post for a period of two years, according to a government notification.

Apart from the Prime Minister, the committee also included Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

Also read: Who is Rishi Kumar Shukla? All you need to know about the newly appointed CBI Director

The move comes after Alok Verma was ousted as the director of the investigation agency in January by a committee led by Modi.

The other members of the committee were Mallikarjun Kharge and Justice A K Sikri, who was nominated by the CJI to represent him.

Verma was ousted by a 2:1 majority. PM Modi voted against Verma, while Kharge wanted the ousted CBI boss to continue. Having the deciding vote, Justice Sikri found the CBI chief's continuance "detrimental to institutional integrity".

Nageshwar Rao was appointed as the interim director of CBI till the appointment of a new director or until further orders.

Verma was named as the Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards – a less significant portfolio.

Verma did not accept the offer and wrote to the government, saying he should be deemed as superannuated, as he has crossed the 60-year-mark. He had taken over as the CBI chief on February 1, 2017 for a fixed two-year tenure.

With PTI inputs.