SC Reinstates Alok Verma As CBI Chief

New Delhi: A three-judge bench of Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union government to reinstate CBI director Alok Verma.

The committee constituted under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act will have to consider the matter afresh, the bench said, adding, “Verma has to be reinstated. But till final decision of the statutory committee, he cannot take major policy decision.”

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph pronounced the verdict on two petitions, one filed by Verma and the other by NGO Common Cause, challenging the government’s decision.

In a midnight move in October, the Union government had asked Alok Verma to go on leave following a public spat with his deputy and special CBI director Rakesh Asthana.

Both Verma and Asthana were sent on leave and joint director M Nageswara Rao appointed as interim in-charge of CBI on October 23, 2018.

The Bench headed by Gogoi had on December 6 reserved the judgment after hearing arguments on behalf of Verma, the Centre, the CVC and others.

The court had also heard the plea moved by the NGO, which had sought a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the allegations of corruption against CBI officials, including Asthana.

Verma’s two-year tenure as CBI director ends on January 31.