SC declines to interfere with Nageswara Rao's appointment as CBI interim director

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a plea challenging the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as interim CBI Director.

According to news agency ANI, a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran said that no further interference is required as the relief has already been granted with the appointment of a full-time CBI Director.

Supreme Court refuses to interfere on the plea of NGO Common Cause against Nageswara Rao's appointment as interim Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) & has sought transparency in the process of short-listing, selection&appointment of CBI Director. pic.twitter.com/qn4jg5vaRQ — ANI (@ANI) 19 February 2019

The top court verdict came in response to a plea moved by NGO - Common Cause - which had challenged the appointment of Rao as interim CBI director.

On February 4, Rishi Kumar Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer, had taken charge of the central probe agency as a full-fledged director.

Shukla on Tuesday convened a review meeting of all branches of the agency, a first after taking over charge earlier this month..

Shukla, who was appointed as CBI Director on February 2, had taken charge within two days amidst the tussle between Kolkata Police and agency officials probing ponzi scam, which had turned into a political slugfest between the Centre and the state.

The review meeting will also help Shukla acquaint himself with important cases and current developments related to them.

A 1983-batch IPS officer, Shukla, who was the former Director General of Police in Madhya Pradesh, has served in the Intelligence Bureau for a long time but it is his first assignment in the CBI.

The meeting will be attended by all heads of over 70 CBI branches across India with some present in Delhi while some will be attending through video conferencing.  

(With Agency inputs)