Alok Verma takes charge as CBI Director

Alok Verma on Wednesday took charge as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director at the central investigating agency's headquarters here.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday had reinstated Verma as the CBI chief, setting aside the Central government's post-midnight order of October 23, 2018, divesting Verma of his charge to act as the head of the CBI.

The apex court, however, noted that Verma cannot take any major policy decisions. He has also been asked by the top court to respond to the CVC inquiry on corruption allegations in a sealed envelope.

In its observation, the Supreme Court further said the Central government should have referred this case to the Select Committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition if it wished to initiate the removal of the CBI director.

The judgment was read out by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on behalf of Ranjan Gogoi, the Chief Justice of India, who was on leave on Tuesday.

The apex court was hearing the plea of Verma and NGO Common Cause challenging the Central government's decision to send him on forced leave and divesting him of all responsibilities, calling the move an "extraordinary and unprecedented" situation.

On December 6, 2018, the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of Verma, the Union Government, CVC, NGO Common Cause, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and others who were the party in the case.

During hearing in December last year, while confronting questions over the Centre's sudden decision to send Verma on leave, the CVC had told the apex court that "extraordinary situations sometimes need extraordinary remedies."

CJI Gogoi had raised questions over the timing of the order and asked why the government took immediate steps to divest Verma of his powers without consulting the Selection Committee.

Both CBI director Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana were sent on leave in October last year after their feud had become public as they had leveled allegations of corruption against each other.

Asthana accused the CBI Director of accepting a bribe from a Hyderabad-based businessman being investigated by the agency. Simultaneously, Verma also accused Asthana of the same crime.

After sending Verma on leave and divesting him of all responsibilities, CBI's Joint Director M Nageswara Rao was given the charge of the CBI as its interim chief.