New Delhi: Delivering a big blow to the NDA government’s morale, the Supreme Court today reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI chief.
The court also set aside the Centre’s decision to appoint senior IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who was the joint director, as the interim chief of the agency.
Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana were relieved from office in a midnight order in October last year after their infighting over corruption allegations became public.
The SC bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph restrained Verma from taking any major policy decision until the high-powered committee considers his case.
The panel comprising of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India has been given a week’s time to consider the case.
The bench pronounced the verdict on two petitions, one filed by Verma and the other by NGO Common Cause, challenging the government’s decision. During the hearing, the government argued that the two officers were fighting like ‘Kilkenny cats’, leaving them with no choice but to send them on leave.
The court, however, said the feud between the top aides of CBI was “not something that happened overnight to require immediate action.” It also questioned the government’s haste and asked why a selection committee was not consulted in the case.
Delivering its order, the apex court said any further decision against Verma would be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints the CBI director. Verma’s two-year tenure as CBI director ends on 31 January.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan said the Supreme Court order was a partial victory for Verma. “He has been restored but strangely he has been restrained from taking any policy decisions,” he said.
Jaitley reacts
In his response to the media, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stated that the CBI officials were sent on leave upon recommendation from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the order was a direct indictment of the government. “SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasn’t CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself?” the Aam Aadmi Party chief said on Twitter.