CBI vs CBI LIVE Updates: Supreme Court reinstates Alok Verma , Supreme Court sets aside government decisionas CBI DirectorCBI vs CBI LIVE Updates: The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed the Central government’s decision to divest CBI Director Alok Verma of his power. The top court, however, restrained Verma from taking any major policy decision till the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) inquiry is over. The court also said that any further decision against Alok Verma will be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints CBI Director. Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India are the members of the committee.
The judgement was pronounced by a bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph. Gogoi was, however, not present when the judgment was pronounced.
Alok Verma’s two-year tenure as CBI Director ends on January 31. He had moved the top court contesting the government’s October decision to divest him of his power after CBI’s deputy director Rakesh Asthana accused him of graft.
Central Bureau of Investigation Chief Alok Verma (File photo)
Highlights
CBI vs CBI Live Updates: It is a lesson for Modi government, says Congress
CBI vs CBI LIVE Updates: Supreme Court quashes Centre's decision
CBI Director case in Supreme Court: Who is Alok Verma?
CBI Director case in Supreme Court LIVE Updates: Modi government defends move
CBI vs CBI LIVE Updates: Supreme Court's tough question to Centre
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the decision to send the CBI's two senior officers on leave was taken by the government on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission. Jaitley said the government would comply with the orders of the apex court. "The government took this decision to protect the integrity of the CBI...Government took the action of sending two senior officers of CBI on leave on CVC's recommendation," he said.
The Congress party has attacked the BJP government saying Narendra Modi is the first prime minister to have his illegal orders set aside by the Supreme Court. "Modiji adds another 1st to his list. After being the first PM to be exposed destroying the CBI before the SC, After having ruined CVC's credibility (requiring supervision by former SC judge), Mr. Modi has now become 1st PM to have his illegal orders set aside by the SC," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.
Alok Verma will retired on January 31. Verma is a 1979 batch IPS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories cadre. He has over 35 years of experience in the IPS. He was appointed as the 27th Director of CBI on February 1 in 2017.
Congess leader Abhishek Manu Singh has tweeted that before the judgment, Alok Verma had no power of CBI chief and even after the verdict is out, he has no power in his hand.
Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. He said, "We are not against one individual, welcome Supreme Court's judgement, it's a lesson for government. Today you will use these agencies to pressurise people, tomorrow somebody else will, What will happen to democracy then?"
The Supreme Court also quashed the Centre's decision to appoint senior IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who was the joint director, as the interim chief of the agency. Today's verdict has come as a big blow to the Modi government that had in October divested Verma of his power and appointed Rao as the interim chief of CBI.
Alok Verma had contended that divesting him of his powers and entrusting it to Joint Director M Nageswara Rao was tantamount to his transfer. He argued that as mandated under the law, any decision related to his appointment or transfer can only be done by the selection committee that comprises the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. He referred to Section 4B(2) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 to put forward his argument. "The Director shall not be transferred except with the previous consent of the Committee referred to in sub-section (1) of section 4A," he said while citing the clause.
Alok Verma reinstated as the CBI Direct but he can't take major policy decisions untill the Selection Committee takes a decision. The court asked the Selection Committee to consider matter afresh. The members of the committee are Prime Minister, CJI and Leader of Opposition.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed the Central government's decision to divest CBI Alok Verma of his power. The judgment was pronounced by Justice SK Kaul in the court 12 in the absence of CJI Ranjan Gogoi.
Justice SK Kaul is currently reading out the judgment in court number 12. CJI is unavailable today. The court had reserved the verdict on December 6 last year. He is reading out the judgment authored by the CJI.
Alok Verma judgment will be pronounced in court 12 by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. CJI Ranjan Gogoi is unavailable today. The matter is pending before the top court for the last few months. Verma was divested of his power by the Modi government after his deputy Rakesh Asthan accused him of corruption.
CJI Ranjan Gogoi is unavailable today. Justice Sanjay K Kaul will now deliver the verdict. The judgment was reserved by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on December 6. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice KM Joseph were also on the bench.
Alok Verma is the director of the CBI. He is A 1979 batch IPS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories cadre. Verma has over 35 years of experience in the IPS.
Defending the decision to divest Verma of his power, the Centre had said that it had to intervene to curb the wrangling in the agency as it top officers were fighting and denting the credibility and integrity of the agency.
The Supreme Court while reserving the judgment last month had questioned if government action was proportionate to the allegation against Verma. "You acted against Alok Verma on the basis of the complaint by (Special Director) Rakesh Asthana. There was nothing against him. We are asking if the action was proportionate," Justice Joseph had asked.