Interim CBI chief M Nageswara Rao appointed additional director

M Nageswara Rao, a joint interim CBI director, was on Tuesday promoted to the rank of an additional director by the government, reported news agency PTI.

Rao, who had taken over as the interim CBI director following a public spat between CBI director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, was promoted to the rank after the issue reached court forcing the central government to intervene.

A 1986-batch IPS officer from the Odisha cadre, Rao had earlier not been considered for the post in November 2016 as well as when the batch was reviewed in April this year.

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But Rao, who was made the interim CBI director when a midnight government order gave him the authority to exercise Mr Verma’s power, had his name cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet.

He had joined CBI as a joint director in 2016.

The Supreme Court had also asked Mr Rao to take any policy decisions until the court hears the petition in relation to the Asthana-Verma feud.

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