A 1986-batch IPS officer from Odisha cadre, Mr. Rao held the position of interim chief of the CBI twice.

Senior CBI officer M. Nageswar Rao who had replaced CBI Director Alok Verma last year as an interim chief, hours before the midnight raid at the latter's office, has been appointed as Director General, Fire Services, Civil Services and Home Guards.

The post of DG, Fire Services has been downgraded to the rank of an Additional Director General and Mr. Rao has been posted there till his superannuation in July 2020, an order issued by the Home Ministry said.

The order also said that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has curtailed his tenure as Additional Director in the CBI.

The ACC comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Mr. Rao, a 1986 batch IPS officer of Odisha cadre was not empanelled for the post of DG in a cadre review done by the Home Ministry last week. As many as 15 officers from his batch were empanelled.

The government had defended Mr. Rao's appointment as CBI's interim chief in Supreme Court saying a high-powered committee comprising the Prime Minister had cleared the appointment.

Mr. Rao played a central role in the CBI drama that played out last year, when he reversed all the decisions taken by Mr. Verma after he replaced the latter in October 2018. The Supreme Court had restored Mr. Verma as Director CBI and asked a panel led by Mr. Modi to decide his future. The government shunted him to the post of DG, Fire Services following which Mr. Verma resigned.