Centre Extends CBI Director Praveen Sood’s Tenure Till 2027
Rahul Gandhi objects to selection process, alleges lack of transparency in high-level committee meeting
- Centre extends CBI Director Praveen Sood’s tenure by one year
- High-level panel led by PM Modi approves extension
- Rahul Gandhi submits dissent note over selection process
- Government cites continuity in anti-corruption investigations
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th May: The Centre on Wednesday approved a fresh one-year extension for Praveen Sood as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, allowing him to continue in office till May 2027.
Sood, a 1986-batch Karnataka cadre IPS officer, had taken charge as CBI Director on May 25, 2023, for an initial two-year tenure. This marks his second service extension.
The decision was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet based on recommendations of a high-level selection panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The committee also included Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi Registers Dissent
Following the meeting, Rahul Gandhi strongly objected to the selection process and formally submitted a dissent note.
He alleged that the process lacked transparency and fairness, saying the Opposition leader was not meant to function as a “rubber stamp”.
According to Gandhi, important documents including self-appraisal reports and 360-degree assessment details of eligible candidates were not provided to him in advance.
He claimed files related to 69 candidates were shown only during the meeting, making proper evaluation impossible.
Gandhi alleged the process appeared designed to favour a pre-decided candidate and accused the government of increasingly using central probe agencies against opposition leaders and critics.
Government Defends Continuity in Leadership
The government order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training stated that Sood’s tenure had been extended beyond May 24, 2026, for one more year.
Officials familiar with the development said the decision was taken to maintain continuity in the leadership of the CBI and ensure smooth functioning of anti-corruption investigations.
According to official data, the CBI reduced pending cases from 1,695 in 2020 to 1,048 in 2025.
Authorities also said the agency had brought back around 120 fugitives from abroad over the past three years, including a record 47 extraditions in 2025 alone.
Law Allows Multiple Extensions
Sood was serving as Karnataka Director General of Police before being appointed CBI chief.
In 2021, the Centre amended provisions under the Central Vigilance Commission Act and the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act through an ordinance later approved by Parliament.
The amendment allows annual extensions of up to three years for directors of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate after completion of their original tenure.
The provision had earlier been used to extend the tenure of former Enforcement Directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra multiple times.
Opposition parties have repeatedly accused central agencies including the CBI, ED and Income Tax Department of political misuse since 2014, allegations consistently denied by the government.
