CBI was shamed by open fighting at top: Centre

NEWDELHI: The union government on Wednesday admitted before the Supreme Court that the two top oficers at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were “ighting like Kilkenny cats,” prompting disciplinary action against them.

Director Alok Verma had to be divested of his responsibilities “in larger public interest to ensure institutional integrity,” Attorney General KK Venugopal told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which is hearing Verma’s plea against his forced leave.

Venugopal said that the ight between Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana created an extraordinary situation in which the government was pressed to act.

“The Government of India was watching with amazement as to what these two oficers were doing, they were ighting like Kilkenny cats - (two cats who fought to the death and ate each other up such that only their tails were left). Extraordinary situation made centre act and divest Alok Verma of his powers till the Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC) takes a decision,” Venugopal said, as he read out the late night government order sending Verma on forced leave.

“The CVC took his own decision - the centre was concerned with the happenings in the CBI and two tough oficers tightening against each other. CVC has to decide who is right and wrong,” Venugopal said. The oficers were ighting in public, he pointed out. “TV channels had a ield day and CBI became an object of ridicule.”

“The decision of the central government was taken after application of an independent mind,” he said. “The Centre was conscious that any action should not result in eroding nation’s faith in the CBI.

“Our objective was to ensure that public conidence in the institution is not eroded, so both oficers were sent on leave. If the government had not done so, only God knows where and how this ight between the two top oficers would have ended.”

Verma’s lawyer Fali Nariman has argued that the government’s order stripping him of charges had no basis, that the CBI director can be removed only with the approval of a committee.

The case is centred on corruption charges swapped by two bosses of the country’s top investigating agency. Asthana has accused Verma of taking bribe from a Hyderabad-based businessman being investigated by the agency. Verma has accused Asthana of the same crime.