The Modi government on Tuesday late night appointed Maharashtra cadre IPS officer of 1985 batch Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, currently Director General of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as the Director of the country’s premier investigative agency CBI for two years.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has, based on the panel recommended by the Committee constituted as per Section 4A(1) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, approved the appointment of Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, IPS(Mh-1985) as Director-Central Bureau of Investigation for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the office,” a government notification said.
Mr Jaiswal is widely experienced officer having served as Maharashtra DGP before he was made the Chief of CISF and also served in the CBI earlier.
The Government has picked him from a panel of three officers who were short listed by the PM led high level selection committee consisting of Chief Justice of India as well as leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. Other two officers who were also short listed included Special Secretary in the MHA VSK Kaumudi and another IPS officer of Bihar cadre KR Chandra.
Earlier on Monday, the high level selection committee held a 90 minute meeting to discuss the names and finalise the officer to be appointed as the chief of the country’s main anti corruption agency CBI.
During the meeting, it is learnt that the Chief Justice insisted that any officer to be considered should have six months tenure left in the service which led to dropping of two most trusted officials of the government: NIA Chief YC Mody and BSF chief Rakesh Asthana, both were front runners to be next CBI boss given their proximity to the political bosses in the regime.
Interestingly, this is for the first time, the rule of six months tenure was applied in the case of appointment of the CBI chief.
The insistence from the CJI about sticking to the rule reportedly came as a shock to the government as the first choice for the most powerful post in the administration was either Mr Mody or Mr Asthana.
“It came as totally unexpected because never in the past, six months rule was applied while selecting a CBI chief” a senior official told The Hindu.
Also, as the insiders have confided in The Hindu that though the PM Narendra Modi had not insisted on any specific name during the meeting held on Monday, but way the administration had prepared the short listed names which were circulated before the meeting, it was apparent who the government’s choice was for the agency.
“Naturally, YC Mody and Rakesh Asthana were the top preferences,” said another official.
It may be noted that during the meeting, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary submitted a dissent note and questioned the entire selection process calling it’s flawed.