CBI vs CBI: No clean chit to Alok Verma yet, CVC to continue probe

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 16, 2018 : No clean chit has been given by the Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC) to CBI Director Alok Verma, as the CVC gets more time from the Supreme Court to probe the case further on 16 November. The apex court has also asked Verma to file a report on the matter, which will be done so on Monday, Yahoonews reported.

 

Verma had filed a plea challenging the government’s order divesting him of his duties and sending him on leave in view of allegations of corruption against him.

The top court had adjourned the hearing on Monday, 12 November, after the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) delayed to submit their inquiry report on Verma. The report was submitted in a sealed cover on Monday morning to the three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

CVC probe against CBI director Verma was supervised by former Supreme Court judge AK Patnaik and the probe was completed on 10 November
   
On 26 October, SC had also set a deadline of two weeks for the CVC to complete the preliminary inquiry against the CBI director

Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana were sent on leave on account of infighting over bribery allegations

M Nageshwar Rao was appointed as the interim director but was barred from taking any major policy decisions

No Decision on Matter Today

The Supreme Court on 16 November took no decision on the Alok Verma case, handing over the report filed by the CVC in the matter to Verma’s lawyer. Verma is expected to filed a counter-report on Monday, and the matter has now been posted to Tuesday.

The CJI, while hearing the case, commented that the CVC’s report was “mixed”, adding that a further probe would be required with respect to some of the allegations against Verma.

Meanwhile, Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, appealed for the CVC report to be made public. The CJI declined Rohatgi’s request, reported LiveLaw.


Questions That Supreme Court Will Address Today

The Supreme Court will take cognisance of the report of the CVC, placed before it in a sealed cover, with regard to the probe into the allegations of corruption against Verma.

The bench is also likely to consider the report of acting CBI director M Nageswara Rao also filed in a sealed cover in the court with regard to the decisions taken by him from 23-26 October.

Besides the plea filed by Verma, the court is also seized of the PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, which has sought a probe by special investigation team against CBI officers.