High-level selection panel meet inconclusive on new CBI chief choice

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) The high-level Selection Committee meeting at the residence of Prime MInister Narendra Modi to choose a new CBI Director to replace ousted chief Alok Verma remained inconclusive on Thursday.

Modi, Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge attended the meeting in which the names of 60-70 candidates were discussed. 

"The meeting was inconclusive. We have asked for the details relating to seniority and batch of all the candidates in a combined list. The Prime MInister will convene the next meeting in a week to take a final decision," Kharge told reporters.

Sources said that in Thursday's meeting only the date of appointment and retirement of the officers was mentioned. 

The meeting comes days after the high-level committee removed Verma as CBI chief by making him the Director General, Fire Services, Civil Services and Home Guard which he refused to accept. The last meeting of the Committee was attended by Modi, CJI nominated Justice A.K. Sikri and Kharge.

A day after the high-level meeting, Verma resigned from the government job. 

Verma and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Director Rakesh Asthana were sent on forced leave on October 23 after their fight became public. Both the officials had levelled allegations and counter allegations of bribery against each other.