When DK Shivakumar called Praveen Sood, new CBI director, ‘nalayak’; vowed action against him
Praveen Sood faced controversy in 2017 when he was transferred from his position as Bengaluru city police commissioner.
Newly appointed director of the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI Praveen Sood faced controversy in 2017 when he was transferred from his position as Bengaluru city police commissioner. The transfer allegedly took place to multiple complaints against Sood received by then chief minister and Congress veteran Siddaramaiah.
Six years later, in March this year, as the director general of police (DGP), Sood faced criticism from DK Shivakumar, Congress Karnataka president, who accused the state police of unfairly targeting Congress workers while ignoring the actions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Shivakumar warned that if the Congress party returned to power, it would take action against Sood and labelled him as a “BJP agent”.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president even called the DGP "nalayak" and said the Congress will take a strict action against him, after coming to power.
“Our DGP is one Nalayak(useless) and he is not fit for his job. He has been in service for the last three years and how many more days will he continue to be BJP’s worker? He has registered around 25 cases against Congress leaders and not even a single case against BJP leaders in the state. We have also written to the Election Commission about his duty and conduct,” Shivakumar had told reporters.
“In the upcoming assembly election, the Congress will come to power, and the action will be serious against the DGP. A case must be filed against him for not doing his duty in a proper way,” Shivakumar added.
In March, a controversy erupted when BJP workers erected an arch in Mandya, honouring Vokkaliga chieftains Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, who are claimed by some to have killed the 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan. However, historians dispute this claim. The arch was constructed ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mandya.
Shivakumar criticised the 59-year-old police chief for not taking action against those responsible for the controversial arch.
The appointment on Sunday came a day after the Congress swept to power in Karnataka, winning 135 of the 224 seats.
Who is Praveen Sood?
1. The 59-year-old has been appointed as CBI director for a period of two years from the date of taking charge after Subodh Kumar Jaiswal completes his tenure on May 25.
2. Sood is a 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Karnataka cadre and the senior-most IPS officer in the country after Jaiswal.
3. His name was cleared on Saturday in a meeting of a high-powered committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
4. Chowdhury, a Congress leader, had reportedly given a dissent note on the selection of Sood as the next CBI director. However, there was no official word on it.
5. Sood has an impressive educational background. He is an alumna of IIT-Delhi, IIM-Bangalore and Syracuse University in New York.
(With inputs from agencies)
