Rishi Kumar Shukla takes charge as CBI director

Amid all the showdown that is taking place between the West Bengal government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata, the new chief of the investigating agency, Rishi Kumar Shukla, is likely to assume office on Monday. The arrival of 58-year old Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer, former DGP of the Madhya Pradesh Police and Intelligence Bureau veteran, as a full-fledged director is likely to bring some sort of order in the agency as it moves to the Supreme Court to challenge the action of the West Bengal government in ponzi scam cases.

Shukla was appointed the CBI director for a fixed tenure of two years.

The post of the CBI chief has been lying vacant since January 10 after the unceremonious exit of Alok Kumar Verma, who had been engaged in a bitter fight with Gujarat-cadre IPS officer and former CBI special director Rakesh Asthana over corruption charges. Both Verma and Asthana had accused each other of corruption.

Here’s all you need to know about Rishi Kumar Shukla:

# Shukla was Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh for nearly two-and-a-half years. He is known for ensuring quick investigations into cases of rape in the state during his tenure as the police chief, leading to a substantial decrease in such a heinous crime.

# A post-graduate in Philosophy and a native of Gwalior, Shukla ensured that charge sheets in criminal cases were filed at the earliest to ensure timely start of trial so that delay in delivery of justice could be minimised. 

# Although he has not served in the CBI, he was in the Intelligence Bureau where he handled several sensitive matters, officials said.

# After passing out from the National Police Academy, Shukla served in Raipur, Damoh, Shivpuri and Mandsaur districts in different capacities, before taking over as DGP.

# He was recently transferred from the post of DGP to the Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation in Bhopal as chairman.

# He underwent training in the USA for crisis management and hostage negotiations, besides another stint of training in London.

# Shukla takes charge of the country's premier investigation agency at a time it has been grappled with controversies.

(With PTI inputs)