Sacked CBI chief quits from service

Ousted Verma says he retired in 2017

Former CBI director Alok Verma, ousted by a high powered committee, Friday asked the government to treat him “deemed superannuated” with immediate effect.

Refusing to take on his new assignment as director general, fire services, civil defence and home guards, Mr Verma wrote to secretary, department of personnel and training, stating the selection committee has not provided him an opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the CVC before arriving at the decision of transferring him.

“Also, it may be noted that the undersigned already superannuated as on January 31, 2017 and was only serving government as director of CBI till January, 31, 2019, as the same was fixed tenure role,” he said.

Mr Verma, a 1979-batch IPS officer from AGMUT cadre, was transferred from

the position of CBI director to director general, fire service, civil defence and home guards under the home ministry on Thursday.

The move came after a high powered selection committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice A.K. Sikri and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, in a split verdict, decided to transfer him 21 days ahead of the completion of his tenure.

New Delhi, Jan. 11: The Delhi high court on Friday refused to quash the FIR lodged against CBI special director Rakesh Asthana on bribery allegations and vacated its interim order granting him protection against criminal proceedings.

Justice Najmi Waziri also refused to quash the FIR lodged against CBI deputy superintendent Devender Kumar and alleged middleman Manoj Prasad. The judge said that permission for prior sanction to prosecute Asthana and Kumar was not required considering the facts of the case.

The high court directed the CBI to complete investigation in case against Asthana and others within 10 weeks. It further said that the allegation of “mala fide” raised against then CBI director Alok Verma has not been made out.

Verma and Asthana were at loggerheads for several months and had levelled charges of corruption against each other.

The high court dismissed the petitions filed by Asthana, Kumar and Prasad challenging the FIR lodged against them. Asthana was booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption and criminal misconduct under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.

Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, on whose complaint the FIR was lodged, had alleged having paid bribe to get relief in a case. Sana had also made allegations of corruption, extortion, high-handedness and serious malpractice against Asthana.

Justice Waziri had

reserved the judgement on December 20, 2018 on various petitions after hearing submissions of the counsel for CBI, the Centre, Asthana, Kumar, Verma and Joint Director

A.K. Sharma.

Kumar, arrested on October 22, was granted bail on October 31. Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving meat exporter

Moin Qureshi, was arrested on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of Sana, who had alleged having paid bribe to get relief.