Archana Ramasundaram out of CBI, appointed Director of NCRB

New Delhi: Senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram has been moved out of the CBI and appointed as Director, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Ramasundaram, a 1980 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed as Additional Director in CBI in February last year amid controversy.She was not assigned any work on the direction of the Supreme Court, which is hearing a writ petition against her appointment.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved lateral shift of Ramasundaram from the post of Additional Director, CBI to hold Director General or equivalent level post at the Centre; and premature curtailment of her tenure in the CBI, an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training said.

The ACC approved the appointment of Ramasundaram as Director, NCRB by temporarily upgrading the post, to the level of Director General, for a period of two years with effect from the date of her assumption of charge of the post or till September 30, 2017, i.E. The date of her superannuation, it said.

Her appointment is subject to the outcome of the writ petition pending in Supreme Court and the court may be apprised accordingly by filing appropriate affidavit before it, the order said.

Ramasundaram's appointment last year had generated quite a controversy as the CBI locked horns with Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Home Ministry over the choice. Her name was recommended by the then CBI Director Ranjit Sinha to the Department of Personnel and Training, nodal authority for the agency.

But, the CVC and then Union Home Secretary had recommended another officer who was opposed by Sinha.