CBI top job: Three names reach Prime Minister's table

NEW DELHI: With four days left for Ranjit Sinha's retirement, three names have emerged as top contenders for the powerful post. Parliament has already approved the amendments to the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act to provide for appointment of the new CBI director in a situation where there is no leader of opposition.
Highly placed sources told TOI that DGP Rajasthan Omendra Bhardwaj and DGP Maharashtra Sanjeev Dayal, both IPS officers of 1977 batch, are the top contenders for heading the central anti-corruption agency. The third name in the list is that of Special Secretary (internal security) in the home ministry Prakash Mishra.

Others in the fray include Abhayanand and Anil Sinha, both from the 1977 batch, and Arup Patnaik and Sharad Kumar, from the 1979 batch.

A top official in the know of developments told TOI that "three names out of the DG rank officers have already been sent to Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's table for his consideration".

The Prime Minister is presently campaigning in J&K and he will go to Jharkhand after that. The source added that PM, leader of the largest party, and Prime Minister's nominee may meet on Sunday and decide the name of the new CBI director.

Sources say that apart from Omendra Bhardwaj and Sanjeev Dayal, Special Secretary (internal security) in the home ministry, Prakash Mishra is also a front runner for the post.

Mishra has served in the NIA, NDRF and the CBI in the past. Despite a clean record, Odisha's vigilance department on September 20 had registered a graft case against Mishra for alleged irregularities during his stint as chairman of the Orissa State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation between 2006 and 2009. Mishra had challenged the case in Orissa High Court, which came to his aid by directing that he should not be ignored for important posts in the future.