CBI director's appointment: Here's why Rakesh Asthana, YC Modi didn't make the probables' list

File image of the CBI headquarters

A committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 24 shortlisted names of three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers for the position of the director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), sources said.

Director General of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, special secretary (internal security) VSK Kaumudi and Sashastra Seema Bal Director General Kumar Rajesh Chandra are the three officers in the running to be the country’s top sleuth.

In the meeting that lasted nearly 90 minutes, Border Security Force (BSF) chief Rakesh Asthana, believed to be the frontrunner for the position, and National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief YC Modi didn’t make it to the shortlist.

Asthana and Modi, Centre's top choices, were left out after Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, one of the committee members, referred to a Supreme Court judgment that said officers with less than six months left in service should not be considered for the position, an NDTV report cited sources as saying.

The rule had never been used before, the report said.

Also read: Who is Justice NV Ramana, the next Chief Justice of India

Moneycontrol couldn’t independently verify the report.

Asthana retires on August 31 and Modi superannuates on May 31.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, who is the third member of the panel by virtue of being a leader from the largest opposition party, backed Raman’s contention, NDTV reported.

A former CBI special director, Asthana was moved out of the agency in 2018 after he and CBI director Alok Verma were involved in an ugly public spat that saw them trade corruption allegations.

CBI’s Additional Director Praveen Sinha has been serving as the interim chief of the premier investigating agency since February 3 when Rishi Kumar Shukla completed his tenure.

Among the three shortlisted officers, the 58-year-old former Maharashtra police chief Jaiswal is likely to be named the CBI director, sources said. A notification is expected soon.