CBI's directorial dilemma: IPS officer Rina Mitra, NIA chief YC Modi in race to become the CBI chief, panel to sit tomorrow

The high powered committee which will decide upon the future CBI director will hold a meeting tomorrow to select the final name, but as per the information, Rina Mitra a Madhya Pradesh cadre IPS officer is on due to become the first women director.

Amongst the names available, Gujarat director-general of police Shivanand Jha and National Investigation Agency’s director-general Y.C Modi is in the race to become the CBI director, who are also considered close to PM Narendra Modi.

A Home Ministry official, as quoted by The Telegraph said, “The NIA director is still among the front-runners for the coveted post, but his surname Modi could become a hurdle in his elevation against the backdrop of the controversy leading to the abrupt removal of Alok Verma as director earlier this month.”

The government might be thinking to choose over a person who has not been a close aide of the BJP and is considered a non-controversial as the fact of the matter.

A CBI officer said, “The NDA government is reportedly keen on playing the gender card by appointing a woman officer to the top post at a time when the agency is facing credibility issues. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections the government may play this card to extract political capital out of it.”

CBI has been in a tandem since last year, when former director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana were sent on leave after allegations of corruption and the matter was heard before the Supreme Court, which in turn criticized the government’s order and reinstated Alok Verma but the high powered committee removed him under 36 hours.

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