Supreme Court to hear CVC version on bribery allegations against CBI chief Alok Verma

As the two-week deadline to complete preliminary inquiry against Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Kumar Verma ends, the Supreme Court on Monday will hear the version of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which probed the exiled CBI chief.

Verma’s deputy, special director Rakesh Asthana had accused the CBI chief of bribery and wrongdoings. The hearing assumes significance as Verma has reportedly refused the allegations during the CVC probe.

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He had appeared for consecutive days before the three-member CVC headed by KV Chowdary. Verma, who divested of his powers by the Centre, had challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.

While hearing Verma’s plea, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had set a weeks time deadline for CVC to complete the inquiry against the CBI chief.

The Supreme Court had appointed former SC judge AK Patnaik to supervise the ongoing CVC inquiry against Verma.

The Apex court had also barred the interim CBI chief Nageswara Rao from taking any major decision regarding to policy change. The court had also sought the list of decisions, including transfers of investigations, taken by Rao in a sealed cover.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CVC, had said that the CVC has been conducting an inquiry into the allegations made in the August 24 note/letter of the Cabinet Secretary with regard to Verma.

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Besides the plea filed by Verma, the court is also seized of the PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, which has sought a probe by special investigation team against CBI officers including Asthana, and had issued notices to the Centre, CBI, CVC, Asthana, Verma and Rao asking them to respond to it by November 12.

(With inputs from agency)