A day after CBI director Alok Verma resumed his duties after Supreme Court had reinstated him putting aside the decision of the union government to send him on leave, the high powered committee constituted to look into his fate has decided to remove him from the post.
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In October last year, the government had removed Verma and CBI special director Rakesh Asthana from duties after both had made serious allegations against each other publicly. After CBI vs CBI fight had become a public spectacle, the government had sent them on leave to ensure a fair probe into the allegations and also to restore public confidence on the premier investigation agency.
After the order, Alok Verma had moved the Supreme Court against the government order. During the hearing, the court had asked CVC to submitted its probe report against Verma in sealed envelope. On January 8, the court had said that the process in which Verma was removed was not proper, and reinstated with a condition that he can’t take any major policy decision.
The Supreme Court had ordered that a High Power Committee will have to decide on fate of the CBI director, comprising the prime minister, leader of the largest opposition party and the Chief Justice of India. This is the same committee that selects the CBI director, and the court had said that only this committee can remove the director, the government can’t do that on its own. The court had not made any comment on the allegations against Verma, and did not quash the charges against him.
Accordingly, the Committee comprising PM Narendra Modi, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Justice A K Sikri met on 9th January and the today. CJI Ranjan Gogoi had nominated Justice Sikri in his place. The committee took the decision to remove Verma from his post of CBI director. This decision implies that the charges against Verma are serious enough to merit removing him from the post. According to reports, he has been appointed as DG or Fire Sevices, Civil Defence & Home Guards. M Nageshwar Rao has been appointed as acting director of CBI, who was doing the same duties when Verma was on forced leave.