Senior IPS Praveen Sood who has served in foreign police is new CBI Director ahead of G20 Summit in India

New Delhi, May 14

The Centre has appointed Director General Praveen Sood as the new Chief of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in an order passed today. 

An IPS officer of the 1986 batch, Praveen Sood is the DGP of Karnataka since three years. Sood was the front runner for the post in the meeting chaired by panel headed by PM Narendra Modi, CJI DY Chandrachud and leader of opposition Lok Sabha. 

An order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) states: “Approval of the Competent Authority, is hereby conveyed to the appointment of Praveen Sood, IPS-86 batch, as Director, CBI for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the office vice Subhodh Kumar Jaiswal, consequent upon completion of his tenure.”

Sood is an alumni of IIT Delhi who also did a post graduation in Public Policy and Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Maxwell School of Governance, Syracuse University, New York.

Sood started his career as assistant superintendent of police (Mysore) in 1989. He later served as the SP of Bellary and Raichur before getting transferred to Bengaluru city as deputy commissioner of police (law and order).

He is one of the few IPS officers from India who had the opportunity to work on deputation as a police advisor to the Government of Mauritius for three years where he worked closely with European and American Police.

He also worked as Principal Secretary, Home department, additional director general of police, Karnataka State Reserve Police and ADGP Administration.

Not only as DGP Karnataka but also as Police Commissioner of Bengalurur city, he launched ‘Namma 100’ - an ‘Emergency Response System’ for citizens in distress. It offers 100 lines managed by multilingual “Communication Officers” 24X7, and the support of 276 Emergency Response Vehicles (Hoysala), spread all over Bengaluru City. He was also instrumental in launching the ‘Suraksha’ App and ‘Pink Hoyasala’ managed by women cops, especially for women and children in distress. 

He was also CP Mysore city from 2004 to 2007. He was also instrumental in the arrest of Pakistan-origin terrorists during his stint in Mysore.

Sood has been decorated with Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for excellence in service in 1996, Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2002 and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2011. Besides he is recipient of Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in the year 2006 for his contribution towards road safety & traffic management and national E-Governance Gold Award for ‘Most innovative use of technology for Traffic Management’ in the year 2011".

ADG from Karnataka Police who has worked with Sood under his DGship for three years said, "DG Sood has been instrumental in advancing technology in Karnataka Police. Under his leadership, the police conducted massive recruitment. Under his leadership we set up high tech cybercrime investigation centre. He had even roped in IIT to ensure find solutions for traffic issues in the IT city".

Known for his people skills and his exposure for working in foreign police, Sood heading the CBI is a boon for the Centre ahead of the high profile G20 Summit scheduled in India. 

Sood has taken the reign from incumbent senior IPS officer, Subodh Jaiswal who will retire on May 25.