ALOK Verma sacked As CBI Director On the Basis of CVC Report: Verma Resigns From IPS Saying The Report Is Based On Unsubstantiated Accusations

A high-powered committee comprising Justice A K Sikri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge met for over two hours on Thursday to decide the fate of the CBI Director .Verma was reinstated by a Supreme Court order after he was sent on forced leave by the government. In the meet chaired by PM Modi, Justice Sikri and PM Modi sacked Verma despite protest by Congress Leader in the Lok Sabha. Verma scheduled to retire on January, was transferred to demit from IPS, was transferred as Director General, Fire Services plus Home Guards. He however   refused to take up new assignment and quit. Sources cited by a TV channel say the panel decided against CBI chief Alok Verma on the basis of the findings of the CVC. Alok Verma was removed just two days after he was reinstated as CBI chief. Of the 10 charges, 3 were substantiated, while in 6 cases they weren’t. The Selection committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the panel was of the view that being the head of a very sensitive organisation, Verma was not functioning with the integrity expected of him,”HT reported quoting  sources .”In the IRCTC case, the CVC felt that it can be reasonably concluded that Mr Verma deliberately excluded a name from the FIR, for reasons best known to him,” the sources said adding the panel felt that as a detailed investigation was necessary, including criminal investigation in some cases, Verma continuing as CBI chief was not desirable, and he should be transferred. However Kharge in his note, totally disagreed. He said that an inquiry into the conclusions by the CVC should continue further but in parallel, he should not be denied his tenure. Not only did he say should his full powers be restored, Kharge recommended “an additional 77 day extension” to make up for the days he lost on forced leave. The Congress leader from Karnataka also pleaded for an inquiry into the events of the night of October 23-24 when Verma was removed for the first time. He said it would reveal the government’s conspiracy to remove the CBI director. Kharge opposed the decision and put up a dissent note. The note accessed by NDTV, which has a summary of the findings of the Central Vigilance Commission, shows of the 10 allegations against Verma, three were substantiated, while in six cases they weren’t. Even the ones that were shown to be substantiated vary in their levels of credibility, according to the CVC finding. On the main allegation that Verma had taken INR 2 crore from a businessman being investigated by the CBI, the findings are that there is “no evidence of payment of bribe and further investigation is required for verifying circumstantial evidence.”The allegation of exclusion of a suspect from being named as an accused in a First Information Report in the IRCTC case was “substantiated and amounts to serious misconduct and warrants disciplinary and other actions,” the note reads. One allegation – of failure to take action in gold smuggling case at the Delhi airport – was partially substantiated.”In the IRCTC case, the CVC felt that it can be reasonably concluded that Mr Verma deliberately excluded a name from the FIR, for reasons best known to him,” sources said.The accusations against Mr Verma was levelled by his number 2, Rakesh Asthana, in October, when the two officers traded corruption charges in an unprecedented public demonstration of rift within the country’s premier investigating agency. As the government sent Mr Verma and Rakesh Asthana on immediate leave and appointed an interim chief in a midnight swoop, the officer approached the Supreme Court. The top court’s order on Tuesday reinstating him is seen as a major loss of face for the government, which is under opposition attack over allegations of using the investigating agency as a tool against political rivals.Meanwhile, The Delhi High Court on January 11 ordered CBI to conclude probe against Astana within 10 weeks. The Selection Committee will meet shortly to appoint successor to Verma who will head India’s premier investigation and prosecution body for a term of two years. The committee has authorized M Nageshwar Rao, the interim head of CBI, to discharge the duties of Verma.