Two Odia IPS officers, former DGP of Odisha Prakash Mishra and ex-Police Commissioner of Mumbai Arup Patnaik, are among the frontrunners for the CBI Director’s post as incumbent Ranjit Sinha is retiring on December 2.
Sources said several bureaucrats have support for Mishra. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was also keen on a Central deputation of Mishra, who is at present Special Secretary (Internal Security) at the Union Home Ministry. Mishra had also worked with CBI and National Investigation Agency (NIA).
However, the recent Vigilance case filed by the State Government against Mishra may affect his career.
According to sources, apart from Mishra and Patnaik, the other names doing rounds for the CBI Director post are CBI Special Director Anil Sinha, NIA chief Sharad Kumar, ex-DGP of Bihar Abhayananda and RPF chief Krishna Choudhury.
The Union Department of Personnel would prepare a list of selected IPS officers from 1976 to 1979 cadres and send it to the Cabinet Committee on Appointment under chairmanship of the Prime Minister to choose one of them as the CBI Director.