NEW DELHI: On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Selection Committee removed Alok Verma as CBI chief. The decision came after a day he resumed duty as CBI director.
Hours after the removal from the post of CBI director, Alok Verma broke his silence and said attempts were being made to destroy the country’s premier investigation agency.
In a statement, Verma said the CBI is an institution whose independence should be preserved and protected. “It must function without external influences. I have tried to uphold the integrity of the institution while attempts were being made to destroy it,” Verma said.
The same can be seen from the orders of the central government and the CVC dated October 23, 2018, which were without jurisdiction and were set aside,” he added.
Verma termed it ‘sad’ that he was transferred to another post pursuant to the orders of the committee on the basis of “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations made by only one person, who was inimical to him.”
Verma’s two-year tenure as director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was due to end on January 31.
Verma, a 1979-batch AGMUT-cadre IPS officer was removed from the post after a 2-1 decision with Justice Sikri siding with the Narendra Modi government.
According to officials, there were eight charges against him in the CVC report presented before the panel which included alleged attempts to induct tainted officers, compromising probe in the case related to controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi, IRCTC scam among others.
The CVC report gave evidence against Verma of taking a bribe of Rs 2 crore to give relief to Qureshi – a millionaire meat exporter from Kanpur. Qureshi also had multiple investigations, ranging from tax evasion to money laundering and corruption.
influencing investigation in the controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi case. There was also evidence of Verma taking a bribe of Rs 2 crore to give relief to Qureshi -, who faces multiple investigations, ranging from tax evasion to money laundering and corruption. The probe, in this case, was led by Rakesh Asthana.
The CVC report also claimed that the CBI team looking into it wanted to make Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana an accused but Verma never gave clearance, officials said. Asthana along with Verma was sent on forced leave on October 23.