CBI chief rejoins, revokes transfers

New Delhi, January 9

Returning to his office after a 77-day exile, CBI Director Alok Verma today annulled most of the transfers effected by M Nageshwar Rao, who was holding the charge as the interim director.

A 1979-batch AGMUT-cadre IPS officer, Verma arrived at the headquarters at 10.40 am, a day after the SC set aside a controversial government order divesting him of all powers, amidst an unprecedented public spat with Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who was booked by the agency under corruption charges.

Since he was part of the Bench and author of yesterday’s verdict that reinstated Verma, CJI Ranjan Gogoi nominated Justice AK Sikri, the seniormost judge of the SC after him, to be part of the high-powered committee that met today to discuss charges against the CBI chief. Also comprising PM Narendra Modi and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, the committee failed to reach a conclusion. Sources said they would meet again tomorrow at 4.30 pm. During the meeting, Verma’s reply and the CVC’s report were handed over to the members of the panel, who discussed bribery and graft charges against Verma. 

Verma and Asthana were sent on forced leave by the government. The next morning, Rao had issued seven transfer orders, including of those probing a corruption case against Asthana, like DSP AK Bassi, DIG MK Sinha and Joint Director AK Sharma, among others. On January 3, 2019, he had transferred officers of Joint Director Rank.

Verma today issued two orders “withdrawing” all the transfers done by Rao on October 24, 2018, and January 3, 2019. — PTI/TNS