Due to the inability to select a new chief for India’s premier investigative agency,the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),the Central Government has approved a one-year extension of service for Praveen Sood. Praveen Sood, an officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS), has been granted this extension for the second time at this position. His tenure was originally scheduled to conclude on May 24, 2026. The decision regarding the service extension was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, following recommendations from the Selection Committee.
An officer of the 1986 batch of the Indian Police Service, Praveen Sood has been serving as the CBI Chief (Director) since 2023. Prior to this, in May 2025, upon completing his initial two-year tenure, he was granted a one-year extension. Sh. Sood will now continue to lead the agency for yet another year.
A high-level committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, convened on Tuesday (May 12) to deliberate on the appointment of a new CBI Director. During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, submitted a note of dissent, in which he accused the government of orchestrating an “institutional capture” of the agency and using it against political opponents, journalists, and dissenting voices.
Held at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, the meeting lasted for approximately one hour. The panel was chaired by Narendra Modi and included the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, as well as Rahul Gandhi. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha serve as members of this committee.
Referring to the committee’s proceedings, Rahul Gandhi expressed his dissent and displeasure not only during the meeting but also explicitly in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Modi. He has also shared this letter in a post on his social media handle, ‘X’. Rahul Gandhi stated that he was denied access to crucial “360-degree” reports on the candidates and was instead asked to review their records solely during the meeting. He alleged that the selection process was biased and predetermined.
In his note of dissent, Rahul Gandhi accused the Central Government of misusing the CBI to target political opponents, journalists, and critics. He asserted that the objective behind including the Leader of the Opposition in the selection panel was to prevent “institutional capture,” yet he was denied any meaningful role in the appointment process.
