CBI Chief Race: Shatrujeet Kapoor Among Top Contenders
By Baljit Balli / Babushahi News Network
Chandigarh, May 6, 2026:
With the tenure of current CBI Director Praveen Sood set to end on May 24, 2026, the process to appoint his successor has gathered momentum in the national capital.
Among the names doing the rounds, Shatrujeet Kapoor, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre and currently serving as Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), is being seen as a strong contender for the top post in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Sources indicate that Kapoor’s seniority, combined with his experience in both policing and administration, places him prominently in the race. Over the years, he has held key positions, including heading the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau, where he earned a reputation for taking firm action against corruption. His tenure as Chairman and Managing Director of Haryana’s power utilities (UHBVN/DHBVN) further strengthened his administrative credentials.
Apart from Kapoor, about half a dozen other senior IPS officers are also in contention. These include G. P. Singh (Director General, CRPF), Rajesh Sharma (DGP, Rajasthan), Pravir Ranjan (Director General, CISF), and Alok Ranjan (Director General, NCRB).
The appointment of the CBI Director is made by a high-powered committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India. The selection is crucial, as it will shape the functioning and direction of the country’s premier investigative agency in the coming years.
As deliberations continue in the corridors of power, all eyes are on who will ultimately be chosen to lead the CBI at a time when the agency remains central to several high-profile investigations.