Date:27/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/27/stories/2008082755851500.htm

National

Some senior CBI officers reshuffled

Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI: The new Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ashwani Kumar, who took charge earlier this month, has reshuffled some senior officers, handing them new responsibilities.

Joint Director (Policy) N.R. Wasan, probably the seniormost JD having spent nearly 17 years in two tenures in the agency, has been moved to the non-descript post of JD (Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency). The MDMA is looking after certain conspiratorial aspects of the May 1991 assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. The MDMA is manned by a Superintendent of Police (SP) who was reemployed after his retirement three years ago.

Mr. Wasan, a 1980 batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, is left with another 10 months before his second stint with the CBI ends. His place is being given to DIG Sudhir Saxena, 1987 batch IPS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre. Incidentally, Mr. Saxena too will complete his tenure in the CBI in 11 months, sources said. Mr. Saxena, DIG (Delhi), has also been shifted as DIG (Special Unit).

Another key officer being shifted out of the capital is O.P. Galhotra, who joined the CBI as Joint Director (Special Crimes) barely two months ago for a second stint in the agency. Mr. Galhotra, an old hand with the CBI, belongs to the 1985 batch of the Rajasthan cadre and investigated sensitive cases such as the Bofors pay-offs. He has been transferred as JD (East), based in Kolkata.

The CBI will have to start looking for seasoned investigators and senior officers to fill two top slots in the agency in the near future to build up its team of ace detectives and investigators.

Additional Director R. V. Raju, a Jammu and Kashmir cadre IPS officer of the 1975 batch, is said to be keen to revert back to his parent cadre after being given the rank of Director-General. Mr. Raju still has about a year to go before superannuation. Another Additional Director, Param Vir Singh, a Tamil Nadu cadre officer of the 1974 batch of the IPS, is due for retirement in October.

Two more Joint Directors — Arun Kumar and Rajni Kant Mishra, both IPS officers of the U.P. cadre — will be completing their tenure with the CBI by mid-2009.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has already indicated through letters and reminders to the Centre that she would want the services of the two U.P. cadre officers on deputation to the CBI to be placed at the disposal of the State government.

Two more DIGs, M. Narayanan and P. Kamraj, have been given charge as JD (Special Crimes) and JD (Economic Offences). Mr. Narayanan began his career as a Sub-Inspector with the CBI. Mr. Kamraj is a former Delhi Police officer on deputation to the agency. Both are due for promotion as JDs and their orders are likely to come shortly, sources said.