CBI may go headless as incumbent Director Anil Sinha is due for retirement on Friday.
Following the retirement of the incumbent director, speculations were rife that the second in command Rupak Datta, will succeed Sinha. But Datta, a 1982 batch IPS officer was appointed Special Secretary, Home Ministry.
With appointment of Dutta as Special Secretary, the stage appears set for the CBI to be headless for few months.
However, PMO’s first choice for Director, CBI is said to be R K Ashthana, an 84 batch Gujarat cadre officer.
Interestingly, Ashthana will get the DG grade, a pre requirement for the position, by Feb or March.
Ashthana has been one of the blue eyed cops of PM, while he was Gujarat CM. He was also said to be a close confidante of BJP chief Amit Shah, during his tenure as Gujarat’s Home Minister.
Possibilities being explored by the government include giving a short 3 or 4 month extension to Sinha or give an acting charge to Ashthana.
Other names in the race for the post included Krishna Choudhary, DG, ITBP and Delhi Police Commisioner Alok Verma, both officers of 1979 batch, were also considered for the job, but sources say these names could not pass muster with the PMO.
