SC miffed over ‘leak’ of CBI director’s reply to CVC
CBI VS CBI Top court adjourns hearing in Alok Verma’s case to November 29 This court is not a platform for people to come and express whatever they want. This is a place where people come for adjudication of their legal rights. This is not a platform and we will set it right
RANJAN GOGOI, Chief Justice NEW DELHI:
The Supreme Court was on Tuesday furious over the purported leak of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Kumar Verma’s reply to the Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC) findings against him over corruption allegations as also the sensational charges by the agency’s DIG Manish Kumar Sinha being made public, telling lawyers none of the parties “deserved” any hearing.
Making it clear that the court was not a “platform” where people can come and express “whatever they want”, an anguished bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi heard the matter twice during the day and said it would not hear any party, including the CVC, and confine itself to the purported leak and publication of Sinha’s allegations.
The bench, also comprising justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph, vent its ire at the start of the hearing and reminded the parties that its earlier order asking them to maintain confidentiality of the CVC’s preliminary inquiry report and Verma’s response to it was intended to ensure “respect” and the integrity of the CBI.
As the hearing commenced, the bench referred to an article published by a news portal and solicited response from senior advocate Fali S Nariman, representing Verma, by saying, “It is only for you Mr Nariman and not as a counsel for Alok Verma. We have given this to you as you are one of the most respected and senior member of the institution. Please help us.”
After going through the news report, Nariman said it was totally “unauthorised” and he was very “disturbed and shocked” by the “leak” and also questioned the move by lawyer Gopal Shankaranarayanan, who is also representing Verma, to mention the matter in the court on Monday to seek time to file a reply on behalf of the CBI director.
After providing the copy of the news report to Nariman, the bench adjourned the hearing to November 29 on the plea filed by Verma, who has challenged the Centre’s decision to divest him of duties and sending him on forced leave, saying, “We do not think any of you deserve any hearing”.
In a sudden turn of events, Nariman re-entered the courtroom after few minutes and mentioned the case seeking re-hearing which was allowed.
When the hearing re-commenced, Nariman said the news article in question was published by the portal on November 17 and it was related to Verma’s reply given to the CVC during the preliminary enquiry proceedings while the order asking the CBI chief to respond to the vigilance probe’s finding was passed only the previous day.