Alok Verma resigns from service a day after his removal as CBI chief, calls it a ‘moment of introspection’

Day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Selection Committee removed Alok Verma as the CBI chief, the 1979 batch IAS officer has resigned from the service. According to the Press Trust of India, Verma in his resignation letter said that “it was a moment of ‘collective introspection.’”

"Also, it may be noted that the undersigned already superannuated as on January 31, 2017 and was only serving Government as Director, CBI till January 31, 2019, as the same was fixed tenure role. The undersigned is no longer Director, CBI and has already crossed the superannuation age for DG Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today," Verma said in his letter to Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training Friday.

Former CBI Chief Alok Verma in a letter to Secy Dept of Personnel and Training:It may be noted that the undersigned would have already superannuated as on July 31, 2017 and was only serving the Government as Director, CBI till January 3, 2019, as the same was a fixed tenure role. pic.twitter.com/iMRxwWOgUl

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2019

Also Read | Alok Verma breaks silence on removal as CBI chief, says tried to protect the ‘integrity of institution’ 

Late on Thursday, Verma broke silence over his exit and said that the decision has been taken on ‘false allegations.’ In a statement issued late on Thursday, Verma spoke about ‘independence’ of the CBI. “It (CBI) must function without external influences. I have tried to uphold the integrity of the institution while attempts were being made to destroy it. 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,” Verma said.

Calling the Thursday decision as ‘sad’, Verma said 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.”

During the high-power committee meeting, while senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that Verma should be given the extension of 77 days, the majority opined otherwise. 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 Modigovernment.

Also Read | Alok Verma sacked again as CBI chief with 2-1 decision by PM Modi-led high-power committee

The CVC report on the basis of which the decision of the removal was taken had found evidence against Verma of 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 - a millionaire meat exporter from Kanpur, who faces multiple investigations, ranging from tax evasion to money laundering and corruption. “The CVC said Alok Verma's conduct in the case is suspicious, and there is a prima facie case against him,” sources privy of the development were quoted as saying.

The CVC report claimed that the CBI team looking into the case wanted to make Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana an accused in the case but Verma never gave clearance to special director Rakesh Asthana, who was leading the investigation. Asthana along with Verma was sent on forced leave on October 23.

(With inputs from PTI)