Mallikarjun Kharge opposes appointment of R K Shukla as CBI Director, writes to PM

New Delhi [India], Feb 2 (ANI):  The appointment of Rishi Kumar Shukla as the CBI Director  was on Saturday opposed by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge who is a part of the Selection Committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which made the choice.

Shukla, former DGP of Madhya Pradesh, was on Saturday appointed as CBI Director.

Shukla, a 1983 batch officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, will have a fixed tenure of two years, according to a decision taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Kharge wrote to the Prime Minister soon after the appointment was announced, contending that Shukla has no experience of anti-corruption investigations and that "seniority cannot be the only criteria in an appointment to such a critical post."

The Congress leader said the Committee, which met at the Prime Minister's residence on Friday, shortlisted Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, Sudeep Lakhtakia, S Javad Ahmad, A P Maheshwari besides Shukla.

"The committee had decided to shortlist the candidates on the basis of seniority, integrity and total experience in investigation and anti-corruption of 100 months or more," he said.

Among the shortlisted officers, Bhatnagar, IPS officer of 1983 batch from UP cadre, has 25 months of experience in anti-corruption and total experience of 170 months, followed by Shukla, a 1983 batch officer from MP Cadre, who has no experience in anti-corruption and total experience of 117 months, Kharge said.

Lakhtakia, IPS officer of 1984 batch from Telangana cadre, has 14 months of experience in anti-corruption and 155 months of total experience, Ahmad, officer of 1984 batch from UP cadre, has 160 months of experience in anti-corruption and a total experience of 303 months, while Maheshwari has 14 months of experience in anti-corruption and a total of 147 months of experience.

Kharge, in his letter, said that based on the criteria laid down by DSPE Act and the Supreme Court, he is of the opinion that officers Ahmad, Bhatnagar and Lakhtakia meet the requirements of experience in investigating anti-corruption cases.

"Adding of general Investigative Experience to experience in investigating Anti-Corruption to enhance overall experience has led to the inclusion of candidates who either have no experience or at best very little experience in the investigation of anti-corruption cases," the Congress leader contended.

"Seniority cannot be the only criteria in an appointment to such a critical post and experience in anti-corruption cases and prior experience of having served in the organisation should also be considered seriously," he added.

Interestingly, Kharge had opposed even the appointment of Alok Verma as CBI Director in 2017.

Verma was ousted from the CBI on January 10, since when M Nageshwar Rao was serving as the interim director. (ANI)