Ex-CBI Chief Alok Verma Resigns From Service

New Delhi: A day after being shunted out as CBI director, Alok Verma resigned from service. He refused to take up the new job as director general of fire services.

In his resignation letter, he said the happenings on Thursday when he was removed as director should be a moment of “collective introspection”.

“It may be noted that the undersigned (Verma) would have already superannuated as on July 31, 2017 and was only serving the Government as Director. CBI till January 31 2019, as the same was a fixed tenure role. The undersigned is no longer Director, CBI and has already crossed his superannuation age for DG Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today,” he said in his resignation letter to the secretary of Department of Personnel.

He regretted that the Prime Minister-led selection committee did not provided him an opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the CVC before arriving at the decision to remove him.

“Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director CBI,” he said. The Selection Committee did not consider the fact that the entire CVC report is premised on charges alluded by a complainant who is presently under investigation by the CBI, he added.

The decision made yesterday will not just be a reflection on my functioning but will become a testimony on how the CBI as an institution will be treated by any government through the CVC, who is appointed by majority members of the ruling government. This is a moment for collective introspection, to state the least, Verma said in his letter.

Meanwhile, in a setback to special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana, the Delhi High Court Friday refused to quash the FIR against him in a case involving bribery allegations filed by the agency. Justice Najmi Waziri directed the CBI to conclude investigation against Asthana, who had a running battle with Verma, within 10 weeks.

According to security experts, Asthana’s chance of being in the contention as the next CBI director looks remote, with the Court refusing to absolve him. The selection committee is set to meet soon to finalise the name of a new director.