MASSIVE: CBI Boss Alok Verma sacked by Selection Panel

CBI chief Alok Verma has been shunted out on Thursday by the selection committee. He has been made the Director General of Fire Services.

The selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met for the second time on Thursday, January 10 to decide the fate of CBI Director Alok Verma who was reinstated by a Supreme Court order after he was sent on forced leave by the government.

The meeting went on for two hours earlier on Thursday.  Two members, PM Narendra Modi and Justice Sekri, from the panel were for removing Verma from the panel. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge gave the dissenting note in the panel.

The key allegations against Alok Verma based on the CVC report are:

1. He received kickbacks of Rs 2 crores, and also found evidence against him in other cases.
2. He went slow on the probe in the IRCTC case against RJD chief Lalu Yadav and did not conduct raids at his residence, and removed a name from the FIR of the case
3. The non-production of record, and fabrication of record in cases by Verma
4. Induction of officers of doubtful integrity into CBI by him
5. Allegations over the functioning and discharge of his duties as the CBI boss 

Below is the CVC report: 

READ | Details of the CVC report here

The panel's meet held on Wednesday, January 9 had remained inconclusive.

The Centre wanted to keep reputation of Alok Verma intact and hence carried out the earlier order. But since the Supreme Court while setting aside the earlier order had said that the due process was not followed by the panel, the government followed the procedure to sack Verma.

The Centre also believes that the writ of the state should not be flouted and that CVC report should have been vetted.

READ | Alok Verma-Rakesh Asthana Face-off Leaves A Dent On CBI's Image

The CBI chief and his deputy Special Director Rakesh Asthana were sent on the forced leave over two months ago to stop the "kilkenny cat fight" between them. They had accused each other of corruption.

Verma who resumed office on Wednesday had revoked most of the transfers done by M Nageshwar Rao, who was appointed as the interim CBI chief in his absence. The officers, whose transfers orders have been ordered to be withdrawn by Verma, are considered to be his confidants, the officials said.

The PM-headed panel comprises the Chief Justice of India (CJI) or a Supreme Court judge, and the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha as members, the rules say. CJI Ranjan Gogoi has reportedly nominated Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri to attend the meet.

Gogoi was part of the bench that gave the verdict on Tuesday which reinstated Verma as the CBI director. There's no leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha because no opposition party had managed to get the mandatory 10 percent seats out of the total membership. Mallikarjun Kharge is the Congress's leader in the Lok Sabha.

The top court had asked the government to convene the meeting within a week of its order. It had quashed the government's unprecedented "overnight" order issued in October last year, stripping him of his powers and sending him on leave after he and his deputy traded corruption charges, sparking a bitter feud.

READ | PM-led Panel To Decide On CBI Director Alok Verma's Fate

(With PTI inputs)

Update: Nageshwar Rao has been appointed the interim CBI Director till further orders.