CBI War: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says all officers of the CBI, particularly the top two officers like Caesar's wife, must be beyond suspicion

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Srishty Choudhury
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CBI War: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says all officers of the CBI, particularly the top two officers like Caesar's wife, must be beyond suspicion

CBI War: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley terms Supreme Court order 'extremely positive development'

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said that the current Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) controversy was an extremely positive development and the government had no interest for or against any individual. Thde government was only interested in maintaining professionalism, and constitutional integrity of the investigating agency.

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The finance minister also said that the apex court had strengthened the fairness criteria by setting a two-week deadline for the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) enquiry against CBI’s Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana. He also said that the CVC did the right thing by asking the two top bosses of the investigating agency to step aside as the recent developments had eroded its credibility.

Today SC has further strengthened the fairness criteria. They fixed a time limit∈ order to ensure that highest standard of fairness are maintained even in the inquiry they have appointed a retired judge to ensure that the CVC inquiry is extremely fair: Arun Jaitley

Recent developments had eroded the credibility of #CBI. CVC in the interest of fairness passed an order that till investigations are pending against two top officers of CBI, they must step aside and recuse themselves from CBI functioning till inquiry is over: FM Arun Jaitley

A three-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph on Friday heard Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma’s petition challenging the government's decision to send him on leave and divest him of all powers.

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In an unprecedented move by the Central government, Verma and CBI's Special Director Rakesh Asthana were sent on leave till further notice and their offices were sealed on Wednesday. Joint Director M Nageshwar Rao, a 1986 batch officer, took charge as the interim chief of the investigating agency with immediate effect.

The feud between Verma and Asthana began after the CBI charged the latter with demanding a Rs 5-crore bribe from Satish Sana, a Hyderabad-based businessman, in return for keeping him out of a money-laundering case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. In turn, the Gujarat-cadre officer -- who is said to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah -- accused his superior of several offences in a letter to the Union government.

Supreme Court Ranjan Gogoi Rakesh Asthana Alok Verma CBI Finance Minister Arun Jaitley