A high-powered panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on May 24 to appoint the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana, and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary is also part of the panel. The meeting is expected to take place at 7 pm at Prime Minister’s residence, according to reports.

YC Modi, 1984 batch IPS officer and currently posted as Director-General of National Investigation Agency, Rakesh Asthana, also 1984-batch IPS officer, posted as Director General of Border Security Force are among the top contenders for the post, reports said. The list of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from 1984 to 1987 batches has been given to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after clearance by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the reports added.

Among others, 1985-batch IPS officer Subodh Jaiswal, posted as Director General of Central Industrial Security Force, Loknath Behera, also from 1985-batch who is currently Director General of Police, Kerala, and 1985-batch IPS officer HC Awasthi, the Uttar Pradesh police chief, is also in the race, according to the reports. The position of CBI director had courted controversy in 2018 after the argument between Ex-CBI Director Alok Verma and Ex-Special Director Rakesh Asthana in 2018. Asthana was removed from the CBI. However, Asthana got a clean chit from the CBI in February 2020.