The Centre appointed Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma as CBI Director on Thursday. Verma, a 1979-batch IPS officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, had taken over as Delhi Police Commissioner on February 29, 2016.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Alok Kumar Verma as CBI Director. His appointment will be for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of his office,” said a release by the DoPT.
On Monday Verma’s name was cleared by a three-member selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar and Congress leader in lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. It is learned that though the PM and the CJI suggested Verma’s name, Kharge had left the meeting saying he had some queries on the selection criteria and will bring written note in a day or two.
This move of Kharge delayed the official announcement, as the minutes of the meeting could not be completed. In his letter sent to the panel, Kharge said experience in CBI, Vigilance and lok Ayukta services should be considered while making the appointment. It was obvious that Kharge was batting for Karnataka cadre officer RK Dutta for the top post. Dutta, the senior-most officer was shifted from CBI to Home Ministry and the Centre appointed Rakesh Asthana as the acting Director after then CBI chief Anil Sinha’s retirement on December 2.
