RAO OFFERS UNCONDITIONAL APOLOGY TO SC

New Delhi, Feb. 11: M Nageswara Rao Monday admitted that as an interim chief of the CBI he committed “mistake” in transferring former joint director A.K. Sharma and apologised to the Supreme Court, saying he had no intention to circumvent its orders.

Rao, who filed an affidavit in response to a contempt notice issued to him on February 7, said he was praying for an unconditional and unqualified apology by the apex court.

“I sincerely realise my mistake and while tendering my unqualified and unconditional apology, I specially state I have not wilfully violated the order of this court as I cannot even dream of violating or circumventing order of this court,” Rao said in the affidavit.

He admitted that in view of the Supreme Court orders dated October 31 and November 28, 2018 “I ought not have agreed with the legal advice for relieving A.K. Sharma even in his promotion without prior approval of this court”.

The Supreme Court on February 7 came down heavily on the CBI for transferring Sharma, who was probing Bihar’s shelter home cases, out of the agency in violation of the court’s order and had directed Rao to personally appear before it on February 12.

A bench had issued contempt notice to Rao for transferring Sharma on January 17 without permission.