Supreme Court reinstates Alok Verma as CBI Director

New Delhi | The Supreme Court today set aside the order passed by the Central Vigilance commision on October 23 regarding the removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director.

Announcing the verdict Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul reinstated Alok Verma to the post of CBI Director however stated the Verma cannot take any major policy decision of the agency. The apex court said that the High Power Committee under DSPE Act will look into the matter and till then Alok Verma shall cease and desist from taking any major policy decision.

Alok Verma had challenged the union government’s decision demanding the three order dated October 23, 2018, be quashed as being without jurisdiction and in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution: One by the Central Vigilance Commission and two by the Department of Personnel and Training.

Acting on the plea of Alok Verma, the top court criticised the Union government saying that the government should have referred to the Select Committee consisting of the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition to initiate Alok Verma’s removal. A bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi reserved its order on December 6.

The Union government on the recommendation of the CVC had removed Alok Verma from the post of CBI Director after both CBI Director Alok Verma and CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana were involved in a tussle over alleged corruption cases. The Centre had justified its decision to divest Verma of his duties and sending him on leave before the apex court saying he and Asthana were fighting like “Kilkenny cats”, exposing the country’s premier investigating agency to “public ridicule”.

After the removal of Verma, the government had appointed M Nageshwar Rao to take an interim charge of the premier investigating agency.