CBI director Praveen Sood gets second one-year extension

NEW DELHI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Praveen Sood received one-year extension on Wednesday, days before he was due to retire on May 24, PTI reported.Sood had also been granted a one-year extension in May last year. He was appointed CBI director in May 2023 while serving as Karnataka DGP.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), based on the recommendations of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee, approved Sood's extension, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.The development came a day after leader of opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi gave a strong dissent note on the process of selection of the next chief of the country's premier investigative agency, in a meeting that lasted just five minutes at the prime minister's 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence.Also Read: Rahul 'strongly dissents' on next CBI director's selection; talks concluded in just 5 minutesAs LoP, Rahul is a member of the high-powered committee that picks the CBI director, alongside the prime minister, and Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant. The Congress MP alleged that he was not provided the self-appraisal reports of the 69 candidates and therefore did not want to participate in what he termed a “biased exercise.”In his two-page dissent note, he alleged that the government has reduced the selection process to a "mere formality" and the LoP "cannot be a rubber stamp.""By denying the Selection Committee crucial information, the govt has reduced it to a mere formality. The leader of opposition is not a rubber stamp. I cannot abdicate my constitutional duty by participating in this biased exercise. I, therefore, dissent in the strongest terms," he said in his note to the prime minister.Rahul also accused the government of "misusing" the agency to "target" opposition leaders, journalists and critics."Your government has repeatedly misused the CBI, intended to be India's premier investigative agency, to target political opponents, journalists and critics. It is to prevent such institutional capture that the Leader of Opposition is included in the Selection Committee. Regrettably, you have continued to deny me any meaningful role in the process," he added.