Verma reiterates stand; tells MHA he superannuated on Jan 10

Former CBI director Alok Verma, who defied a government order asking him to join as chief of Fire Services on Thursday, has told the home ministry that he superannuated from the post of CBI director on January 10, officials said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had directed Verma to take charge as director general of the Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards on Thursday.

Verma immediately responded to the letter from MHA dated January 30, reiterating his position that he had already retired from the service on July 31, 2017 and was serving the tenure of director CBI.

In his response to R S Vaidya, Deputy Secretary in the home ministry, Verma said his date of birth from the official records is July 14, 1957 which implies that date of superannuation was July 31, 2017.

"The undersigned has already crossed the age of 61 years and continued to serve even after his superannuation date as Director, CBI which is a tenure post for a period of two years," Verma wrote in a letter accessed by PTI.

He said since he ceased to be director of CBI from the evening of January 10, 2019 and has already crossed 60 years, he stands superannuated from the post of Director, CBI with effect from the evening of January 10, 2019.

Verma was removed following a split decision of a high- level committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge and Justice A K Sikri, nominated by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

Kharge has given a strong dissent note against the decision of the committee to oust Verma from the post.