New CBI chief: Kharge writes dissent note to PM, BJP hits back

New Delhi: One of the three-membered selection committee members, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Saturday, has sent a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over 1983 batch (Madhya Pradesh cadre) IPS officer, Rishi Kumar Shukla's appointment as the new CBI Director.

The leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, questioned Shukla’s experience of handling corruption cases.

In his dissent note, Kharge said seniority can’t be the only criteria to chose the CBI boss. He suggested that three Indian Police Service officers — S Javed Ahmad, Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar and Sudeep Lakhtakia — were the only candidates who fulfilled the criteria in order of merit.

The Congress leader further argued that “seniority, integrity and experience in anti-graft cases should be given equal weightage in this matter to get the best suited officer.”

However, Union minister Arun Jaitley accusses Kharge’s dissent, saying he has been the constant in the panel that deals with the CBI director’s appointment and transfer.

“Mallikarjun Kharge dissented once again in the appointment of the new CBI director. Kharge dissents regularly. He dissented when Alok Verma was appointed, dissented when Alok Verma was transferred and has now dissented when R K Shukla has been appointed,” Jaitley on Facebook.

Arun Jaitley said Mallikarjun Kharge’s dissent on the transfer of Alok Verma was of political views. “He was a petitioner in the Supreme Court himself in support of Alok Verma. He should have recused himself from the Committee.”

The PM-led committee met on Friday to select the CBI chief. Kharge’s dissent note suggests that the new chief was not a unanimous choice but was selected on the basis of majority.

According to senior functionaries, the government had drawn up a list of 16 names on the basis of three criteria — seniority, annual confidential report (ACR) with minimum 95 marks, and 100 months of experience in investigation.

Though, Kharge objected to the third criteria, but the committee rejected his contention by 2:1 majority and said it would go ahead with the selection. Kharge then decided to send a dissent note in which he emphasized that it was important to restore the image and the integrity of the CBI as a premier institution fighting corruption.

PM Modi and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi are other members of the committee.

Three names were being shortlisted for the post of chief of the probe agency, Senior IPS officers of 1984 batch, Javeed Ahmed, Rajni Kant Misra and S S Deswal, were among the top contenders for the post.