Who is new CBI chief Praveen Sood and why DK Shivakumar once called him 'Nalayak'

Bengaluru: Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood was appointed the director of the country's premier probe agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He has been appointed for two years.

"Approval of the Competent Authority is hereby conveyed to the appointment of Shri Praveen Sood, LPS (KN:86) as Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of two years ...," Department of Personnel and Training said in a statement.

Sood is scheduled to take charge after the present CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal completes his tenure on May 25.

The announcement of Sood's appointment came a day after a high-powered panel comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Lok Sabha LoP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met to decide the name of the new CBI chief.

However Aadhir Ranjan submitted a detailed dissent note opposing Sood's candidature on the grounds that he was not part of the pool of IPS officers eligible to serve at the DGP level at the centre.

Interestingly, Sood had faced the wrath of Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar, who some time back called the senior cop "Nalayak" (worthless) and accused him of favoring the erstwhile BJP government in Karnataka.

Shivakumar had then complained that during Sood's stint as DG, the police had registered around 25 cases against Congress leaders, and not a single case against BJP leaders in the state. The Congress leader also had threatened to arrest him after his party came to power in the state.

Shivakumar is facing a CBI enquiry in an alleged money laundering case based on Karnataka High Court order,

Sood's appointment came a day after the Congress registered a thumping victory in the Karnataka assembly elections, winning 135 seats in the 224-member state house.

Sood was among the front-runners for the top post.

He is a graduate from IIT Delhi and joined Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1986.

Starting his career as Mysuru ASP in 1989, he served as Ballari and Raichur SP, and was later posted to Bengaluru city as DCP (Law and Order).

Sood has an extensive career in law enforcement and has held various important positions throughout his career. (UNI)