3 Shortlisted For CBI Chief Post, Karnataka Top Cop Frontrunner: Sources

Sources said that Praveen Sood (DGP Karnataka), Sudhir Saxena (DGP Madhya Pradesh) and Taj Haasan are now in the running to be the next CBI Director.

Three senior IPS officers have been shortlisted for the top post at the Central Bureau of Investigation by a committee comprising of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice Of India and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, sources said. The names were shortlisted after a meeting of the high-level committee on Saturday evening.

Sources said that Praveen Sood (DGP Karnataka), Sudhir Saxena (DGP Madhya Pradesh) and Taj Haasan are now in the running to be the next CBI Director.

CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal’s two-year term will end on May 25.

Praveen Sood, a 1986-batch IPS officer from the state cadre, is the frontrunner for the post, according to sources. Mr Sood had hit the headlines in March when Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar accused him of protecting the BJP government in the state. Mr Shivakumar sought the arrest of the state’s Director general of police claiming that he was filing cases against Congress leaders

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.