Who is Rishi Kumar Shukla, the new CBI director whose appointment was challenged by Congress

The CBI’s new director Rishi Kumar Shukla has come in and the ‘caged parrot’ finally gets some certainty, after being in dilemma from last 5 months.

Former Madhya Pradesh DGP and a 1983 batch IPS officer, Rishi Shukla has been a prominent name in the state of MP, as his efforts have been incremental in fast tracking the rape cases and filing of chargesheets in record less time.

His name has been chosen from a list of 30 contenders who were in the race for the top post, wherein the committee headed by PM Narendra Modi has selected Rishi, although the Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge had dissented over his appointment, stating that he had no prior experience in investigating anti-corruption cases.

Kharge, in his dissenting note has said, “Seniority cannot be only criterion in appointment to such a critical post and experience in anti-corruption cases and prior experience of having served in the organisation should also be considered.”

Shukla has served as Additional DGP (Intelligence) from 2009 to 2012 and he became DGP of Madhya Pradesh in 2016. He went on leave for 6 weeks when the assembly elections were announced and was replaced by acting DGP VK Singh by the Election Commission. Shukla’s father-in-law also served as the DGP of MP in 1990’s.

After Alok Verma was shunted out from the post and special director Rakesh Asthana was sent on leave, due to an internal rift between the two, the agency was facing uncertainty in the leadership of interim director M Nageshwar Rao.

Also read: Govt appoints Rishi Kumar Shukla as new CBI director, 'caged parrot' finally gets its master