Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was chosen as the new chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday. Till now, he held the post of the director general of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). He has been appointed as the chief of the probe agency for a period of two years.
"The Appointments Committee of thw Cabinet has, based on the panel recommended by the Committee, approved the appoointment of Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, IPS (MH:1985) as Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the office or until further orders whichever is earlier," an official notification read.
The Central Bureau of Investigation was working without a regular chief for over three months after Rishi Kumar Shukla completed his two-year tenure on February 3. CBI Additional Director Praveen Sinha, a 1988-batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre, was appointed the acting chief of the agency after Shukla completed his tenure.
A three-member selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday shortlisted Jaiswal's name. Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury are the two members of the panel. During the meeting, Chowdhury had objected to the process of selection of officers for the coveted post.
WHO IS SUBODH KUMAR JAISWAL
- A 1985-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal is a former Maharashtra director general of police.
- He is at present the director general of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
- Earlier, Jaiswal was Mumbai Police Commissioner and Maharashtra DGP before central deputation.
- He had also worked with the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing.
The appointment assumes significance as the Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by an NGO, Common Cause, on the delay in the appointment of a regular CBI chief. The Centre had last month told the Supreme Court that the meeting of the selection committee for the appointment of the CBI director would be convened immediately after May 2.
On April 5, the apex court had asked the Centre to consider convening the meeting before May 2 observing that "in-charge arrangements" for the post cannot go on. The petitioner has alleged that the government has failed to appoint a regular CBI director as per Section 4A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act. The plea has also sought a direction to the Centre to initiate and complete the process of selection of the CBI director well in advance, at least one to two months before the date on which the vacancy to the post is about to occur.
READ MORE: IPS Subodh Kumar Jaiswal appointed new CBI Director