New Delhi, Aug. 19 (The Telegraph): The Centre tonight cut short the tenure of Rajan S. Katoch as director of the Enforcement Directorate.

No official reason was cited for his removal. But the decision was announced within a few days of reports surfacing that the agency had communicated to the government that no prima facie case could be made out against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.

Katoch, an IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, was holding the additional charge of ED and his tenure was to end in October. Just two weeks ago, the Centre had cleared the name of Katoch for a third extension as ED director for three more months.

The removal of Katoch coincided with a dismissal in Gujarat. Sanjiv Bhatt, a suspended IPS officer who had taken on the Gujarat government headed by Narendra Modi over the 2002 riots, was sacked on the ground of "unauthorised absence" and dereliction of duty. (See Page 4)

The Centre said tonight that the appointments committee has assigned the additional charge of ED to special director Karnal Singh, an IPS officer, for "three months or till appointment of a regular incumbent".

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had moved a Delhi court, alleging fraud and cheating in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd, the publisher of the National Herald newspaper. Delhi High Court had stayed a summons.