The court gave Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma time till November 19 to respond to the report filed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which is probing infighting within the central agency.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court ordered authorities to hand over the CVC report to CBI director Alok Verma on Friday.
The court gave Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma time till November 19 to respond to the report filed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which is probing infighting within the central agency. The apex court directed the authorities to hand over the report to Verma in a sealed cover and ordered that confidentiality of the document be maintained. The SC fixed November 20 as the next date of hearing.
During the hearing Friday, the Supreme Court pointed out that the CVC report on Verma was “complimentary” on some charges, “not so complimentary” on some charges and “very uncomplimentary” on some charges. The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, added that further inquiry was required into some charges.
The SC has also ordered that a copy of the report be given to Attorney General K K Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. It turned down Special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana’s request that the CVC report be provided to him as well.
The SC was hearing petitions filed by Verma and NGO Common Cause challenging the government’s order to divest the CBI Director of his duties. The SC on October 26 had given the CVC two weeks to complete its probe against Verma, which is being monitored by its retired judge, Justice A K Patnaik. On Monday, the CVC had submitted its preliminary report to the court.
Patnaik has also filed a note in SC.
Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who have been engaged in a tussle, were divested of their duties by the Department of Personnel and Training on October 23.
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