From Alok Verma getting removed as CBI director to Opposition blames to government’s justification, here are the top developments in the CBI vs CBI row from last night.
The already intensified CBI vs CBI war escalated Tuesday night when the government decided to divest Alok Verma of powers and send him on leave in view of the internal feud between him and Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Verma Wednesday morning moved the Supreme Court challenging the government’s decision, the hearing of which will take place on October 26.
Soon after, Opposition parties including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised several questions on the government’s move. While Arvind Kejriwal questioned the “law under which Modi government” initiated the order against the chief of the country’s top probe agency, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala accused the BJP government of burying the “last nail” into the independence of CBI. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government’s order was based on the recommendations of the CVC.
Here are the step-wise top developments since midnight in the CBI vs CBI row:
1. At midnigfont-size:15px;ht, the Union government stepped in and decided to divest CBI’s Alok Verma of powers and sent him on leave in view of the internal feud between him and Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Read More
2. Verma has been replaced by M Nageshwar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre officer, and Joint Director at CBI will proceed to take charge as the interim chief, according to an order by the Prime Minister-led Appointments Committee.
3. Raids were being conducted at the CBI Headquarters in New Delhi, PTI reported. The 10th and 11th floor of the CBI building were reportedly being searched. The offices of both Verma and Asthana have also reportedly been sealed. There was, however, no official statement on the same.
4. Alok Verma Wednesday morning moved the Supreme Court challenging the government’s order divesting him of his role.
5. The apex court agreed to hear on October 26 Verma’s plea. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph took note of the submissions of lawyer Gopal Shankarnarayan, appearing for Verma, that his plea needed urgent hearing. Read More
6. Seven transfers have also been made following Verma’s removal including Deputy SP CBI AK Bassi, probing the case against CBI’s Rakesh Asthana, has been transferred and posted as Deputy SP CBI, ACB Port Blair.
7. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal questioned the “law under which Modi government” initiated the order against the chief of the country’s premiere probe agency. Questioning the authority of Modi government, Kejriwal took to Twitter saying: “What are the reasons for sending CBI director on leave? Under which law did the Modi govt get the authority to initiate action against the chief of an investigating agency appointed as per the Lokpal Act ? What is Modi govt trying to hide?” Read More
8. The Congress slammed the government for the move amid an escalating feud between him and his deputy Rakesh Asthana. Accusing the BJP government of burring the “last nail” into the independence of CBI, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala wondered if Verma was “sacked” for his keenness to probe the “layers of corruption” in the Rafale scam and sought an answer from PM Modi. Taking to Twitter, Surjewala said, “systematic dismantling and denigrating of CBI is now complete. Once a premier investigating agency, PM ensures that CBI’s integrity, credibility & reliability is buried & dead.” Read More
9. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called the infighting in CBI as “extraordinary” and said the government’s order was based on the recommendations of the CVC. He also said, “It was ‘absolutely essential’ to maintain CBI’s institutional integrity adding that the investigation process should not be made a mockery of as has happened in the last few weeks.” “The two officers cannot probe the matter against each other. In interest of fair probe and as an interim measure, both will sit out and a SIT not functioning under them will investigate the matter,” he added. Read More
10. Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi for removing Alok Verma intentionally. “CBI chief Alok Verma Rafale ghotale mein kaagjaat ikattha kar rahe the. Unhe jabardasti chhutti pe bhej diya gaya. Pradhanmantri ka message ekdm saaf hai jo bhi Rafale ke ird- girdaaega, hata diya jaaega, mitaa diya jaega. Desh aur Samvidhaan Khatre mein hai (CBI chief Alok Verma was collecting papers on Rafale deal scam and he was forcefully sent on leave. PM’s message is clear that anyone who will try to do anything about Rafale deal, will be removed. The country and the constitution is in danger),” Gandhi tweeted.
