Madras HC upholds Sinha's appointment as CBI director

The Madras high court on Thursday upheld the appointment of senior IPS officer Ranjit Sinha as Director of Central Bureau of Investigation.

The petitioner has not placed enough materials against the IPS officer to convince the court against his appointment, Justice K Venkatraman said dismissing a writ petition.

Petitioner Jebamani Mohanraj, a retired police officer, contended that an officer, who was facing charges, should not have been named the next head of the premier investigating agency.

Mohanraj challenged Sinha's appointment on two principle grounds -- the IPS officer was removed from the investigation of the fodder scam, and procedure prescribed for appointment of the CBI director had not been followed in his case.

Additional Solicitor General P Wilson had submitted that the appointment was made in accordance with law before the Cabinet Committee on Appointments cleared Sinha's name.

Sinha was recently appointed as the CBI Director for a two-year term.

A controversy had erupted over Sinha's appointment with Bharatiya Janata Party demanding that the prime minister keeps it on hold, citing a recommendation by a Rajya Sabha panel on Lokpal that the selection be made by a collegium.

The government, however, had said the selection of the 1974-batch IPS officer had been done in a "fair manner" following the "due process" and that the Prime Minister had got the authority to decide on one name.