The Selection Committee for the Alok Verma case, on Thursday, took a decision and removed Alok Verma as the Director of the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI.) The Selection Committee includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition party in the Lok Sabha (the Congress,) and Justice A.K. Sikri.
Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the decision, but with a majority of 2:1, the decision was made by PM Modi and Justice A.K. Sikri.
The Committee reviewed the report by the Central Vigilance Committee (CVC) and found Alok Verma guilty of corruption and negligence of duty.
Following the judgement, the Government of India issued a letter which states, Mr. Verma is posted as the Director General, Fire and Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards till the end of his tenure, that is, the 31st of January. In addition to this, M. Nageswara Rao, the Additional Director of the CBI, will fulfill the duties of the Director until the CBI appoints a new director.
However, Mr. Verma denied the allegations and said, he was transferred on the basis of false allegations. Disappointed with the decision, Mr. Verma made a statement, “It (the CBI) must function without external influences. I have tried to uphold the integrity of the institution while attempts were being made to destroy it. The same can be seen from the orders of the Central Government and the CVC dated October 23, 2018, which were without jurisdiction and were set aside.”
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court (SC) cancelled the Government’s order, which forced Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana to go on compulsory leave on the 23rd of October, and reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI Director.
The SC rested the responsibility of taking the final decision regarding the Alok Verma case on the Selection Committee, which, within 2 days of the judgement by the SC, decided to remove Alok Verma as the CBI Director.
The dispute started between CBI officers Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana, the Special Director of the CBI, when they accused each other of bribery and corruption.
The judgement of the PM Modi led Selection Committee drew a lot of criticism, on Twitter, from the Congress leaders.
Fear is now rampaging through Mr Modi’s mind. He can’t sleep. He stole 30,000Cr from the IAF and gave it to Anil Ambani. Sacking the CBI Chief #AlokVerma twice in a row, clearly shows that he is now a prisoner of his own lies.
Satyamev Jayate.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 10, 2019
If #AlokVerma was found to have suspicious integrity by the PM and Justice Sikri (since Kharge dissented) why is he DG Fire Services? How can corruption allegations matter for one post and not for the other
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) January 11, 2019
