Hunt for new CBI director gathers momentum

New Delhi, Jan 13 : As the tenure of the current Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Rishi Kumar Shukla comes to an end on February 2, the race for the premium post has gathered momentum with several top officers in the race.
According to sources, several officers of the 1984, 1985 and 1986 batch are in the running for the top post, including NIA chief Y. C. Modi who is currently the chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Arun Kumar, Director General of the Railway Protection Force and Praveen Sinha, currently Additional Director in the CBI.
Besides them, Central Reserve Police Force director general AP Maheshwari and Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief S.S. Deswal are also said to be in the race.
Official sources said the present CBI Director, a 1983 batch officer, may get an extension for six months.
A source said that Rakesh Asthana, who is currently holding several key posts such as DG Border Security Force and also holding additional charge DG of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is also in the race.
Besides Asthana, M.A. Ganapathy, a 1986 batch IPS officer of Uttarakhand cadre and currently Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is also said to be in the tight race for the top post.