CVC shortlists three for CBI director post

In a surprise move by the Chief Vigilance Commission panel, an Indian Police Service officer of the 1976 batch from Uttar Pradesh, Atul has been short-listed to become the Central Bureau of Investigation director on December 1. 

Initially, there were 61 aspirants and the selection committee brought it down to six and on Tuesday, it picked up three in the following order; Director General of the Indo-Tibet Border Police Ranjit Kumar Sinha (1974, Bihar), National Investigation Agency Director Sharad Sinha (1975, Haryana) and Atul (1976, UP).

The two other frontrunners -- V K Gupta, who is the special director of the CBI and Neeraj Kumar, the Delhi commissioner of police have been kept out of the list. Both were earlier hot contenders for the post.

Delhi top cop Neeraj Kumar was reportedly told by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde that he was required to serve his tenure in Delhi as the new commissioner.

But who among the three will become the CBI director is shrouded in mystery because it will be decided by the prime minister.

The list of three officers was short-listed by a panel headed by Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar. The other members of the high-powered select committee include Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, secretary personnel and outgoing director of the CBI A P Singh.

Singh is retiring on November 30. The search for his successor is getting rather tough.