Dr. Katy Jane at 15:36, 6 February 2026

2026-02-06T15:36:06Z

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{{Short description|Head of the Central Bureau of Investigation}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Director
| body = the Central Bureau of Investigation
| incumbent = [[Praveen Sood]], [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
| insignia = Cbi logo.svg
| insigniacaption = Seal of the Central Bureau of Investigation
| incumbentsince = {{Start date|2023|05|23|df=yes}}
| department = [[Central Bureau of Investigation]]
| reports_to = [[Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]]{{br}}({{small|or the [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}})
| seat = CGO Complex, [[Lodhi Road]], [[New Delhi]]
| termlength = Two years
| formation = {{start date and age|1963|04|01|df=yes}}
| first = D. P. Kohli, IPS
| precursor = [[Inspector-General of Police|Inspector-General]] of the [[Central_Bureau_of_Investigation#Special_Police_Establishment|Delhi Special Police Establishment]]
| constituting_instrument = [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2258/1/A1946-25.pdf The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946]
| termlength_qualified = Renewable thrice (one year each)
| appointer_qualified = {{small|(with recommendations from the [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]], [[Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha Opposition leader]]{{efn|If there are no official opposition in the Lok Sabha, then the leader of the single largest opposition will be there.}} and the [[Chief Justice of India]]{{efn|If the Chief Justice is unavailable then a senior judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]] nominated by him will be there.}})}}
| appointer = The [[Government of India]]
| website = {{website|www.cbi.gov.in}}
}}

The '''director of the Central Bureau of Investigation''' is the head of the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI), an Indian federal crime investigating agency, who is responsible for its day-to-day operations. The CBI is the agency within the [[Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]], under the [[Government of India]]. The director reports to the Minister concerned.

The current CBI director is [[Praveen Sood]], who has held his position since 25 May 2023.

The Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reports to the [[Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]], a portfolio generally held by the [[Prime Minister of India]] or sometimes a senior Cabinet minister.<ref name=":1" />

== Term of office ==
The term for the director of CBI is initially fixed for two years. The director is appointed by the [[Government of India|Union Government]] on the [[advice and consent]] from the Appointment Committee, as per the ''Delhi Special Police Establishment (DPSE) Act, 1946'', and amended through the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) Act, 2003 and [[The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013]]. The term can be renewed by the Committee up to one year with not more than three years of extension.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2067/1/A2003-45.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005152813/https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2067/1/A2003-45.pdf |archive-date=2023-10-05 |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=www.indiacode.nic.in}}</ref>

== Appointment ==
The Appointment Committee appoints the director from the list nominated by the Selection Committee team. The team consists of the [[Chief Vigilance Commissioner]] (''ex-officio'' chairperson), two members of the [[Central Vigilance Commission]], the [[Home Secretary (India)|Home Secretary]], and the [[Personnel Secretary]] of India. The director must be a senior [[Indian Police Service]] officer and in the rank of [[Director General of Police]] (DGP).<ref name=":0" />

After that, the Appointment Committee will select the name from the list. The committee consist of the [[Prime Minister of India]] (as chairperson), the [[Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha]] (or the leader of single largest opposition party, as amended by DSPE (Amendment) Act, 2014 during the [[Premiership of Narendra Modi|Modi government]]) and the [[Chief Justice of India]] (or a Supreme Court Judge nominated by him).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CBI Leadership Meet: PM Modi Chairs Panel to Select Next CBI Director |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/pm-modi-chairs-meeting-of-panel-to-appoint-new-cbi-director-3525460 |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>

== Responsibility ==
As head of the agency, the director supervises all the work in the CBI and is responsible for the constitution of investigating teams for probing cases. The Selection Committee consults with the director before the appointment committee for the appointments to the other officers in the CBI, with the rank of a [[Superintendent of police (India)|superintendent]] or above.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Livemint |date=2025-03-05 |title=Cabinet committee approves key appointments: Ashwin Shenvi, Sudha Singh, and Ashok Kumar to join CBI as joint directors {{!}} Today News |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/cabinet-committee-approves-key-appointments-ashwin-shenvi-sudha-singh-and-ashok-kumar-to-join-cbi-as-joint-directors-11741195604542.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250410014532/https://www.livemint.com/news/india/cabinet-committee-approves-key-appointments-ashwin-shenvi-sudha-singh-and-ashok-kumar-to-join-cbi-as-joint-directors-11741195604542.html |archive-date=2025-04-10 |access-date=2025-05-10 |work=mint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 984 OF 2016 |url=https://www.commoncause.in/uploadimage/case/15153740CBI%20Director%20PIL%20Rev%20.pdf |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=www.commoncause.in}}</ref>

== Dismissals ==
The Government can dismiss the director through the recommendations of the same Appointment Committee. D. Sen was removed after charges were made against him for the misuse of power during the [[The Emergency (India)|emergency period]] declared by [[Indira Gandhi]], as per the report made by [[Shah Commission]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The dark night returns? |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/40-years-after-1975-emergency.html |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=theweek.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-23 |title=Post-Emergency, CBI experiences inexplicable growth in finance, manpower |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19780715-post-emergency-cbi-experiences-inexplicable-growth-in-finance-manpower-818453-2015-01-23 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

In September 2018, director [[Alok Verma]]'s deputy [[Rakesh Asthana]] filed a complaint against him in [[Central Vigilance Commission]]. Verma charged Asthana with bribery charges. Later, [[Narendra Modi]]'s government asked both of them "on forced leave" and appointed [[Mannem Nageswara Rao]] for an interim period. The Supreme Court of India, in January 2019, reinstated Verma as the director. But after a few days, the committee, with a 2:1 vote, decided to remove Verma from office. Modi and [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court judge]] [[Arjan Kumar Sikri]] consented in favor, while Congress leader in Lok Sabha [[Mallikarjun Kharge]] dissented.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saberin |first=Zeenat |title=India's CBI chief fired 48 hours after being reinstated by court |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/1/10/indias-cbi-chief-fired-48-hours-after-being-reinstated-by-court |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>

== List of the directors ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
!{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
!Name of the<br/>director
!Start of tenure
!End of tenure
!Duration of<br/>service
! colspan="2" |Prime Minister<br/>during appointment
!{{abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
|1.
| [[D. P. Kohli]]
| {{start date|1963|04|01|df=yes}}
| {{end date|1968|05|31|df=yes}}
| {{ayd|1963|04|01|1968|05|31}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=3 |
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=CBI to celebrate its Golden Jubilee amidst criticism of misuse |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/cbi-to-celebrate-its-golden-jubilee-amidst-criticism-of-misuse-113040400567_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716055348/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/cbi-to-celebrate-its-golden-jubilee-amidst-criticism-of-misuse-113040400567_1.html |archive-date=2024-07-16 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=www.business-standard.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|2.
|[[F. V. Arul]]
|{{start date|1968|05|31|df=yes}}
|{{end date|1971|05|06|df=yes}}
|{{ayd|1968|05|31|1971|05|06}}
|rowspan=2 |[[Indira Gandhi]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-07-13 |title=An officer and a gentleman |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/columns/article30210125.ece |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=Frontline |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|3.
|D. Sen
|6 May 1971
|29 March 1977
|{{ayd|1971|05|06|1977|03|29}}
|
|-
|4.
|S. N. Mathur
|29 March 1977
|2 May 1977
|{{ayd|1977|03|29|1977|05|02}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Party}}" rowspan=4|
|rowspan=4 |[[Morarji Desai]]
|
|-
|5.
|C. V. Narsimhan
|2 May 1977
|25 November 1977
|{{ayd|1977|05|02|1977|11|25}}
|
|-
|6.
|John Lobo
|25 November 1977
|30 June 1979
|{{ayd|1977|11|25|1979|06|30}}
|
|-
|7.
|R. D. Singh
|30 June 1979
|24 January 1980
|{{ayd|1979|06|30|1980|01|24}}
|
|-
|8.
|J. S. Bajwa
|24 January 1980
|28 February 1985
|{{ayd|1980|01|24|1985|02|28}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=3|
|Indira Gandhi
|
|-
|9.
|M. G. Katre
|28 February 1985
|31 October 1989
|{{ayd|1985|02|28|1989|10|31}}
|rowspan=2|[[Rajiv Gandhi]]
|
|-
|10.
|A. P. Mukherjee
|31 October 1989
|11 January 1990
|{{ayd|1989|10|31|1990|02|14}}
|
|-
| -
|R. Shekar{{br}}(''acting'')
|11 January 1990
|14 February 1990
|{{ayd|1990|01|11|1990|02|14}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Dal}}" rowspan= 3|
|rowspan =3|[[V. P. Singh]]
|
|-
| -
|Vijay Karan{{br}}(''acting'')
| colspan="2" |14 February 1990
|{{ayd|1990|02|14|1990|02|15}}
|
|-
|11.
|S. K. Dutta
|14 February 1990
|31 July 1993
|{{ayd|1990|02|14|1993|07|31}}
|
|-
|12.
|[[K. Vijayarama Rao]]
|31 July 1993
|31 July 1996
|{{ayd|1993|07|31|1996|07|31}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=1|
|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
|<ref>{{Cite news |last=PTI |date=2023-03-14 |title=CBI condoles demise of its former Director K. Vijaya Rama Rao |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cbi-condoles-demise-of-its-former-director-k-vijaya-rama-rao/article66619048.ece |access-date=2025-05-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
|-
|13.
|[[Joginder Singh (police officer)|Joginder Singh]]
|31 July 1996
|30 June 1997
|{{ayd|1996|07|31|1997|06|30}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Dal}}" rowspan =2|
|[[H. D. Deve Gowda]]
|
|-
|14.
|R. C. Sharma
|30 June 1997
|31 January 1998
|{{ayd|1997|06|30|1998|01|31}}
|[[I. K. Gujral]]
|
|-
| -
|[[D. R. Karthikeyan]]{{br}}(''acting'')
|31 January 1998
|31 March 1998
|{{ayd|1998|01|31|1998|03|31}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" rowspan=5|
|rowspan=5 |[[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
|
|-
| -
| T. N. Mishra{{br}}(''acting'')
|31 March 1998
|4 January 1999
|{{ayd|1998|03|31|1999|01|04}}
|
|-
|15.
|[[R. K. Raghavan]]
|4 January 1999
|1 April 2001
|{{Ayd|1999|01|04|2001|04|01}}
|
|-
|16.
|[[P. C. Sharma]]
|1 April 2001
|6 December 2003
|{{ayd|2001|04|01|2003|12|06}}
|
|-
|17.
|U. S. Misra
|6 December 2003
|6 December 2005
|{{ayd|2003|12|06|2005|12|06}}
|
|-
|18.
|Vijay Shanker Tiwari
|12 December 2005
|31 July 2008
|{{ayd|2005|12|12|2008|07|31}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}"rowspan =4|
|rowspan=4|[[Manmohan Singh]]
|
|-
|19.
|[[Ashwani Kumar (police officer)|Ashwani Kumar]]
|2 August 2008
|30 November 2010
|{{ayd|2008|08|02|2010|11|30}}
|
|-
|20.
|[[A P Singh]]
|30 November 2010
|30 November 2012
|{{ayd|2010|11|30|2012|11|30}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-11-30 |title=SHRI AMAR PRATAP SINGH RELINQUISHES CHARGE AS DIRECTOR, CBI ON COMPLETION OF HIS TENURE |url=https://cbi.gov.in/press-detail/Mzc1Ng== |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=[[Central Bureau of Investigation]]}}</ref>
|-
|21.
|[[Ranjit Sinha]]
|3 December 2012
|2 December 2014
|{{ayd|2012|12|03|2014|12|02}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ranjan |first=Abhinav |last2= |first2= |date=2021-04-16 |title=Former CBI director Ranjit Sinha passes away |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/ranjit-sinha-dead-former-cbi-director-698123 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=India TV News |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|22.
|[[Anil Sinha]]
|3 December 2014
|2 December 2016
|{{ayd|2014|12|03|2016|12|02}}
| width="1px" bgcolor="{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" rowspan=8|
| rowspan="8" |[[Narendra Modi]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-03 |title=1979-batch IPS officer Anil Kumar Sinha takes over as the new CBI chief |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ranjit-sinhas-deputy-anil-kumar-sinha-is-new-cbi-chief/ |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| -
|[[Rakesh Asthana]]{{Br}}(''interim'')
|3 December 2016{{efn|As Additional Charge, while serving as additional director in CBI.}}
|1 February 2017
|{{ayd|2016|12|03|2017|02|01}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-17 |title=Special director Rakesh Asthana moved out of CBI |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/special-director-rakesh-asthana-moved-out-of-cbi-5543652/ |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|23.
|[[Alok Verma]]
|1 February 2017
|1 February 2019{{Efn|Rao was appointed as interim director when Special Director Asthana and Director Verma were asked to take leave by the Union Government, when both of them faced allegations against each other.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-10-25 |title=Alok Verma vs Rakesh Asthana: The story so far on the feud within CBI |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a-timeline-of-cbi-feud/article61520806.ece |access-date=2025-05-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>|name=NageswaraRao}}
|{{ayd|2017|02|01|2019|02|01}}
|<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-01-10 |title=From CBI chief to former CBI chief: What happened to Alok Verma in 48 hours |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/from-cbi-chief-to-former-cbi-chief-what-happened-to-alok-verma-in-48-hours/articleshow/67476045.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-05-11 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alok Verma Still Chief, Says CBI Day Before Top Court Hears His Petition |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/alok-verma-will-remain-cbi-chief-rakesh-asthana-stays-no-2-says-spokesperson-1937622 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| -
| [[M. Nageswara Rao]]{{br}}(''interim'')
| 24 October 2018{{efn|name=NageswaraRao}}
| 10 January 2019
|{{ayd|2018|10|28|2019|01|10}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-06 |title=Nageswara Rao ousted as CBI additional director, posted as DG Fire Services |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cbi-nageshwar-rao-ips-transfer-narendra-modi-cbi-vs-cbi-5817593/ |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|24.
|[[Rishi Kumar Shukla]]
|2 February 2019
|2 February 2021
|{{ayd|2019|02|02|2021|02|02}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Madhya Pradesh Police Chief Rishi Kumar Shukla Is New CBI Boss |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ips-rishi-kumar-shukla-appointed-new-cbi-director-1987358 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| -
|Praveen Sinha{{br}}(''interim'')
|2 February 2021
|25 May 2021
|{{ayd|2021|02|02|2021|05|25}}
|<ref>{{Cite news |last=Langa |first=Mahesh |date=2021-02-03 |title=Praveen Sinha takes over as CBI interim chief |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/praveen-sinha-likely-to-be-officiating-director-of-cbi/article33737056.ece |access-date=2025-05-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
|-
|25.
|[[Subodh Kumar Jaiswal]]
|25 May 2021
|25 May 2023
|{{ayd|2021|05|25|2023|05|25}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-26 |title=Subodh Kumar Jaiswal Biography: All you need to know about the new CBI Director |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/subodh-kumar-jaiswal-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-cbi-director/2259116/ |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=Financialexpress |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|26.
|[[Praveen Sood]]
|25 May 2023
|''Incumbent''
|{{ayd|2023|05|25}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-05 |title=Praveen Sood may get 1-year extension after no consensus on CBI chief's successor |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cbi-director-praveen-sood-extension-likely-high-level-selection-panel-successor-consensus-2720057-2025-05-05 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>
|}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{Official website|www.cbi.gov.in}}
* {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://cbi.nic.in/|title=Central Bureau of Investigation}}

[[Category:Directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation]]
[[Category:Central Bureau of Investigation]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in India]]

Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation - Revision history

Dr. Katy Jane at 15:36, 6 February 2026