Alok Verma reinstated as CBI Director by Supreme Court

Setting aside the Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC) October 23 order divesting Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma of all powers and sending him on an indefinite leave, the Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Verma as the CBI Director.

The government, as mentioned in the notification, had also sent CBI special director Rakesh Asthana on leave as well.

The apex court delivered its verdict on two petitions, one filed by Verma himself challenging the Central government’s order and the other by NGO Common Cause.

Though Verma has been reinstated as the CBI director, he cannot take any major policy decisions till the CVC inquiry against him gets over.

Reprimanding the government, the SC observed, “The government should have referred to the Select Committee consisting of the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition to initiate Alok Verma’s removal.”

The apex court has directed the High Power Committee under the DSPE Act (The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act) to act within a week to consider Verma’s case.

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Justifying their October 23 order, the Centre had said that both the officers had engaged in a public fight like “Kilkenny cats” and which had exposed the CBI to “public ridicule.”

The Supreme Court’s verdict is a direct indictment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.

The Congress Party welcomed the apex court’s judgement and wrote on Twitter, ” We welcome the Supreme Court’s verdict lambasting the govt. against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director. The SC has reinstated Alok Verma as director.”

“Alok Verma was investigating the #RafaleScam, so he was illegally & undemocratically removed from his position. Today the SC has proven to PM Modi that democracy will always fight back. Where will NoMo hide, now that all his skeletons are falling out of the closet,” it wrote in another tweet.