New Delhi: Karnataka police chief Praveen Sood has been chosen as the next director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He will succeed current director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, whose term ends on May 25.
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.
His name was cleared on Saturday in a meeting of a high-powered committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Mr Sood is a 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Karnataka cadre and the senior-most IPS officer in the country after Mr Jaiswal.
"Approval of the competent authority is hereby conveyed to the appointment of Praveen Sood, IPS (KN:86) as Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the office vice Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, IPS (MH:85) consequent upon completion of his tenure." the Department of Personnel and Training said in an order
The CBI Director is selected by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha for a fixed tenure of two years. The tenure can be extended up to five years.