CVC colluded with Modi Govt to oust Verma as CBI director: Congress
‘K V CHOWDARY ABRUPTLY CANCELLED DENMARK TRIP ON OCT 23 EVENING’
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday alleged that CVC K V Chowdary is colluding with the Narendra Modi Government in a ‘conspiracy’ against ousted CBI Director Alok Verma, thereby severely undermining the sanctity of his Constitutional office. “A perusal of the scheming manipulation on the night of 23rd October, 2018, exposes the treachery with the Constitution and the law played out at the CBI headquarters to pre-empt registration of an FIR on the Rafale corruption,” said Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Randeep Singh Surjewala and
Shaktisinh Gohi.
The Congress leaders stated that Chowdary was scheduled to leave on a tour to Denmark on the evening of 23rd October but abruptly canceled his trip and, instead, held a meeting of the CVC that night. At 11pm, CBI Joint Director M Nageshwar Rao was sent to
the Bureau’s headquarters in anticipation of the CVC order, the Congress claimed. Then, at 11:30 pm, the Delhi Police Commissioner called his juniors to alert their men on an urgent midnight operation, with the ‘Rendezvous Point’ being given as Khan Market, New Delhi.
The Congress alleged that at 12 midnight, the Delhi Police Commissioner received instructions from the NSA and briefed his officers on the plan to take over the CBI headquarter by Delhi Police. At 12:30 am, as Delhi Police attempted to take control of the CBI headquarter, they were stopped by the CISF. The Delhi CP then spoke to the CISF head, who too had received instructions from the PMO/ NSA to allow a Delhi Police takeover of the CBI headquarters. Delhi Police then promptly took control of the CBI HQ, the Congress stated in its allegations.
Meanwhile, from 8 pm to 12:30 am, the CVC and two of his colleagues had drafted an order under Section 8(1) of the CVC Act, 2003, for the removal of Alok Verma as CBI director by “divesting him of all duties”. Between 12:30 am and 1 am, this CVC order was taken to North Block, where Secretary (Personnel) C Chandramouli was waiting as per instructions of the PMO.
Chandramouli then rushed to the PMO and the Cabinet Committee on Appointments, headed by the Prime Minister, gave its approval for the removal of Verma as CBI Director and appointment of M Nageshwar Rao in his place. After that, the CVC and Additional Secretary (DOPT) Lok Ranjan visited the CBI headquarters.
“By 2:30 am, the CVC, Ranjan and Nageshwar Rao came out of the CBI headquarters with the files and records… and at 2:30 am, the formal orders were served on Alok Verma,” according the explosive Congress claims.