The Supreme Court on Friday, hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief Alok Verma’s petition – challenging the government decision asking him to go on forced leave – said that the inquiry against him must be completed within two weeks. A retired judge will oversee the inquiry conducted against Verma by the Central Vigilance Commission.
The court also said that the CBI’s interim chief M Nageshwar Rao, who has been given Verma’s charge temporarily, cannot take any policy decision. A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, passed the decision. All decisions taken by Rao since he took charge, have been sought by the court.
The apex court will take up the case again for hearing on November 12. The court however, did not take any decision against Rakesh Asthana. “We are not bothered about Rakesh Asthana,” the judges said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had summoned the top two men of the CBI last week after the federal investigating agency booked Special Director Rakesh Asthana in a bribery case, naming him as an accused in an FIR filed last week. Asthana wrote to the government saying a “false FIR” has been lodged against him. He also made allegations of corrupt practices by the CBI chief.
Later, Verma and Asthana were both asked to go on leave and Nageshwar Rao was appointed as interim chief of the CBI.
However, Verma moved the Supreme Court against the government order asking him to go on leave.
Verma has argued in petition that the Supreme Court had ruled in the past that the CBI director should have a fixed minimum tenure of two years. He also added that Asthana had “concocted evidence” against him to accuse him of corruption.
The Congress meanwhile, accused the government of violating law, because the Supreme Court has directions that the CBI chief cannot be removed without the approval of the group that includes the Prime Minister of India, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
Meanwhile, the CBI – in what is being seen as a reaction to the petitions filed in court – clarified that Verma and Asthana continued to retain their respective positions, and Nageshwar Rao was an interim chief.
Asthana was named as an accused for demanding and taking a bribe from a businessman under investigation in the Moin Qureshi corruption case by a special investigation team (SIT) that he was heading.
In September, the CBI had said that Asthana’s role in alleged corruption in six cases was being investigated and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had been informed about this. One of the six cases in which Asthana’s role is being probed is the one in which a Kolkata based businessman Dipesh Chandak – who is accused turned approver in the Bihar fodder scam – managed to escape near Howrah station in August this year.
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Later however, Asthana wrote to the government complaining against Verma saying that the latter was preventing him from carrying out investigations and trying to malign him.
