CVC report may affect CBI chief
SC says some findings are very uncomplimentary
■ SC BENCH orders confidential Central Vigilance Commission report be given to CBI director Alok Verma, asks him to respond to it by Monday, also in a sealed cover. It will take up the matter on Tuesday.
■ ALLEGATIONS were levelled by Verma’s deputy Rakesh Asthana, against whom the CBI has filed an FIR on charges of graft. SC denies Asthana request for copy of report.
■ BOTH OFFICIALS had been sent on leave by the Centre.
The Supreme Court said that the Central Vigilance Commission’s preliminary report on allegations against CBI director Alok Verma contained some findings that were complimentary and others that were “very uncomplimentary”. These needed further investigation, the court said on Friday.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi ordered that the confidential CVC report be given to Mr Verma in a sealed cover, and asked him to respond to it by Monday, also in a sealed cover. It will take up the matter on Tuesday.
The CVC probe against Mr Verma was supervised by former Supreme Court judge A.K. Patnaik and the probe was completed on November 10.
Mr Verma would file his reply on November 19, his lawyer Fali S. Nariman told the bench. “Once we will have your (Verma) response, we will take a decision,” the CJI said.
The top court was hearing Mr Verma’s plea challenging the government’s order divesting him of his duties and sending him on leave in view of the allegations of corruption against him.
The allegations were levelled by his deputy Rakesh Asthana, against whom the CBI has filed an FIR on charges of graft. Mr Asthana was also sent on leave by the Centre. His request for a copy of the report on Mr Verma was turned down by the court.
The bench directed that the CVC report be given to Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing the CVC. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mr Asthana, argued vehemently for a copy of the report, saying his complaint against Mr Verma to the Cabinet Secretary was referred to the CVC.
The Supreme Court said that the Central Vigilance Commission’s preliminary report on allegations against CBI director Alok Verma contained some findings that were complimentary and others that were “very uncomplimentary”. These needed further investigation, the court said on Friday.
“CVC has filed an exhaustive report. The report has been categorised and is very complimentary on some charges, not so complimentary on some charges and very uncomplimentary on some charges. The CVC report says some charges are required to be investigated and they need time,” the CJI told Mr Nariman.
The bench, also comprising Justices S.K. Kaul and K.M. Joseph, directed Mr Verma, the attorney general and the solicitor general to maintain confidentiality of the CVC report keeping in mind public confidence in CBI and sanctity of the institution.
Mr Dushyant Dave, appearing for the NGO Common Cause, which has filed a separate petition seeking a probe by special investigation team against the CBI officers, had earlier claimed that acting CBI director M. Nageswara Rao has taken policy decision despite an apex court order against it.
“We will presume that he (Rao) has not taken any major policy decision because you have not given us list of decisions by him,” the bench told Mr Dave. Mr Rao has already filed in the court the decisions taken by him from October 2326, the court added.