Don't transfer 'Adarsh' CBI officer: Maha BJP leader to PM

Terming as "inappropriate" the transfer of Central Bureau of Investigation Joint Director Rishi Raj Singh who headed the probe in the Adarsh scam, a senior Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party leader has requested the Centre to put it on hold.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Vinod Tawde has written to  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram saying that transferring the officer at a time when investigations in the case are still on is "inappropriate and should be stopped".

Singh, a 1985 batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, was shifted from the anti-corruption branch of the agency to the economic offences wing on Thursday, a day after the CBI filed its first chargesheet in the Adarsh scam against 13 accused including former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan.

Though the CBI has maintained that it is a routine transfer, Tawde's letter seeks to question the timing of the move.

Keshav Kumar, a 1986 batch IPS officer from Gujarat cadre, will take over from Singh.