CBI vs CBI: SC to hear Alok Verma's petition on Friday

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the petition filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma challenging the Center's decision to send him on leave.

The top court will hear the matter on October 26.

Verma's lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan, told the apex court that the Centre's decision will comprise the investigation into many sensitive cases.

The CBI chief has also challenged the decision to appoint Joint Director M Nageshwar Rao as the Director of CBI in his place.

In an order dated October 23, M Nageshwar Rao was appointed as the interim Director of the CBI with immediate effect.

Ra0, a 1986 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Odisha cadre, was working as the Joint Director in the investigating agency.

The Centre's decision came a day after Asthana moved to Delhi High Court seeking the quashing of FIR filed by CBI against him and Deputy Superintendent of Police Devendra Kumar.

The CBI had claimed that Kumar was part of an extortion racket being run in the array of an investigation.

Kumar was arrested on Monday evening and was sent to a seven-day CBI custody for questioning.

The CBI had filed an FIR against Asthana for allegedly accepting the bribe from a businessman, who was trying to get relief in the Moin Akhtar Qureshi case.