NEW DELHI: ‘Very uncomplimentary’ is a euphemism for really serious charges. Some of the allegations against embattled CBI Director Alok Verma fall in that category, the Supreme Court got to know on Friday from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which submitted a probe report based on the charges by Verma’s squabbling deputy Rakesh Asthana.
What lent gravitas to the CVC’s report was its supervision by upright retired Supreme Court judge
A K Patnaik, who was tasked to do so by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
With Verma failing to get a clean chit, he ought to be a very worried man. The CVC actually sought more time to investigate the charges.
It was Verma who had approached the SC after both he and Asthana were suddenly sent on leave and M Nageswara Rao appointed interim chief. At that point in time, the CVC had alleged Verma was not cooperating with the probe. The CBI chief now has three days to file his response.
“The report has been categorised and is very complimentary on some charges, not so complimentary on some charges and very uncomplimentary on some charges,” said the CJI. The report in a sealed envelope was for the eyes of the court only.
Even Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the CVC in the court, hadn’t seen it, which actually surprised the the bench. “You (CVC) have not got it? You are the author of the report and you have not seen it?” the bench asked when Mehta sought a copy of the report.The bench ordered it be shared with Verma, Mehta and Attorney General Venugopal, but not with Asthana. The matter will now be taken up on Tuesday.
Dy’s charges against boss
Asthana alleged that Verma was close to Enforcement Directorate director Rajeshwar Prasad
Verma shared list of Undesirable Contact Men with Singh, which was prohibited Verma pushed for induction of Rajender Upadhyay as joint director, though the vigilance unit found ‘adverse conduct’ against him