CBI vs CBI: Exiled Alok Verma responds to Supreme Court on CVC report

The Supreme Court Monday asked Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma to file his response as soon as possible during the day when anti-corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) will file its preliminary report on corruption charges against him.

The top court also made it clear saying that it will not adjourn the scheduled hearing on Tuesday. “We are not shifting the date. You file as quickly as possible. We will have to read the response,” the bench said.

Alok Verma has submitted his response to the report by the CVC, which is investigating corruption charges against him, after the Supreme Court granted him additional time to make the submission.

It is to be noted that earlier on Monday the court granted him additional time till 4 pm to file his response.

The bench — headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi — was informed by lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Verma that he had not been able to file his response with its registry. The bench was hearing Verma’s plea challenging the government’s decision to divest him from duties and sending him on forced leave.

On Monday, the Supreme Court also refused an urgent hearing of a petition filed by an officer who investigated the CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Manish Kumar Sinha approached the court against his transfer to Nagpur.

It is to be noted that Manish Kumar Sinha was among the officers who were transferred after the investigation agency chief Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana were sent on forced leave in October after bribery allegations were levelled against them.

Also read: Supreme Court declines transferred CBI officer’s request, says ‘Nothing Shocks Us’