CBI Director Alok Verma in Docks, CVC Launches Probe

CBI director Alok Verma. 

(Photo: PTI)

Following a complaint lodged against CBI director Alok Verma by his second-in-command Rakesh Asthana, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) launched a fact-finding probe on Friday, 21 September.

Asthana, who heads an SIT that is looking into high-profile cases such as the Kingfisher and AgustaWestland investigations, had earlier alleged that Verma had “sought to impede his functioning, interfere in investigations and malign his reputation on the basis of unverified facts,” The Economic Times reported.

The complaint was first addressed to the government, which later referred the matter to the CVC.

No Substance in Media Reports: CBI

Slamming the complaint, CBI released a statement on Friday, 21 September and said that the allegations against Asthana have surfaced in the absence of due verification.

"Certain allegations have been made in a newspaper referring to a complaint filed before Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) against Director CBI. It's unfortunate that baseless allegations are being made without proper verification of facts to malign image of Director CBI,” ANI reported, quoting CBI.

CBI has pointed out in its letter to CVC that issue relating to IRCTC case was raked up earlier also and brought before Supreme Court on two occasions. Matter was dismissed by Supreme Court. Petitioners were also in possession of information from highly confidential internal documents, which is a serious offence.

Central Bureau of Investigation

Denying the credibility of media reports in Bureau’s co-operation in the investigation, CBI has said, “Irrespective of the maintainability of the complaint, CBI has provided most of the files as requested by the CVC and the remaining will be submitted soon. There is no substance in the media reports that CBI is not cooperating in the enquiry.”

The CVC, which is responsible for the implementation of the Prevention of Corruption Act, has begun to examine the facts mentioned in the complaint to gauge whether they are sound enough to launch a formal inquiry, the Economic Times report adds.

If they do not find any substantial content, then the case can be dismissed at this stage, after prima facie examination.

The Complaint

One of the allegations that Asthana had mentioned in his complaint was that Verma had asked him to call off the planned raids against RJD leader, Lalu Prasad, in Patna in 2017 when the SIT teams had already begun their raid. However, Asthana refused the command and continued the raids, the report states.

Several other instances such as these are mentioned in the complaint, being examined by CVC chief KV Chowdary and his fellow commissioners.

Not the First Verma-Asthana Controversy

This isn’t the first time a struggle has erupted between Verma and Asthana. According to Economic Times, in 2017, CVC Chief Chowdhury, who heads the panel for selection and promotion of CBI officers, had been summoned to the Supreme Court last year to explain himself over Asthana’s promotion to the post of special director last year.

However, at that point of time, it was Verma who had sent a note to Chowdary, alleging that Asthana’s name had cropped up in a diary that was recovered during an income tax raid from the Sandesara brothers, the report states.

In another instance, Verma had also written to the CVC that Asthana could not be allowed to represent the CBI director at meetings where selection, extension and promotion of CBI officers were being discussed.

(With inputs from The Economic Times)