A high-powered panel comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, and leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi is expected to meet next week, likely on May 12, to decide the next director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A list of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from the 1989 to 1992 batches is being prepared by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) for the high-powered committee to consider for the coveted post.
Among those likely to feature in the list and seen as strong contenders are Parag Jain, chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW); Ajay Kumar Sharma, Madhya Pradesh cadre officer; Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, Haryana officer; Sadanand Date, Maharashtra DGP; G P Singh, DG Central Reserve Police Force; Piyush Anand, DG National Disaster Response Force; and Satish Golchha, Delhi Police commissioner.
However, incumbent director Praveen Sood, who has led the agency since May 2023, is also in contention for a further extension, officials said.
Under Sood's leadership, the CBI has secured extraditions in the cases of Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi and brought nearly 150 fugitives back from foreign jurisdictions.
The agency has also sharpened its focus on core functions over the past three years, including registering corruption cases and completing investigations within a year.
