Ex-judge to supervise CVC probe against CBI’s Verma

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to complete its inquiry into allegations against CBI Director Alok Verma and appointed one of its former judges, Justice A K Patnaik, to supervise the probe for which it gave two weeks time while restraining interim chief M Nageshwar Rao from taking any policy or major decisions.

Making it clear that prolonging the inquiry was not in the nation’s best interest, a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Krishan Kaul and Justice K M Joseph said the inquiry would be conducted on the allegations contained in the Cabinet Secretary’s August 24 note to the CVC.

“The enquiry in... the allegations made in the note/letter of the Cabinet Secretary dated on August 24, 2018 as regards the present Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Shri Alok Verma shall be completed by the Central Vigilance

Commission (CVC) within a period of two weeks from today”, the court ordered.

Directing that the inquiry would be conducted under the supervision of Justice Patnaik, the court requested him to accept the assignment and ensure that the enquiry is completed within the time frame fixed by this court.

The court order came while dealing with the petition by Alok Verma and NGO Common Cause challenging the October 23 order divesting Verma of his responsibilities and giving charge to Joint Director M Nageswara Rao.

As Attorney General K K Venugopal told the court that the inquiry should not be on the allegations against Verma alone but also on the allegations raised against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, Chief Justice Gogoi said: “We are only concerned with Verma.”

The court also asked the officiating Director M Nageswara Rao not to take any policy or major decision except for routine ones.

It directed all decisions taken by Rao “after taking over charge on October 23 till this hour” to be submitted to the court in a sealed envelope by November 12.

Nageswara Rao, the court said, “who has been entrusted with the task of looking after the duties of the Director of the CBI by the impugned order dated October 23, 2018 of the Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, shall, as of from now, not take any policy decision(s) or any major decision(s) and will only perform the routine tasks that are essential to keep the CBI functional.”

— IANS