Congress backs Verma, moves SC

​New Delhi: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday moved the Supreme Court in support of Alok Verma, pressing for a full term for the CBI director who has been divested of all charges amid the turmoil in the agency. 

Questioning the government’s decision to send Verma ‘on leave’, Kharge said in his petition that neither the Central Vigilance Commission nor the government can curtain Verma’s tenure.  Asserting that the law provides for a two-year term, Kharge’s intervention application in Verma’s petition has termed the government’s move as “arbitrary and illegal”. 

Kharge’s petition comes amid Congress allegations that Verma was “removed” from the post as he wanted to investigate the Rafale fighter jet deal. Party chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that French firm Dassault Aviation paid Rs 284 crore as "first instalment of kickbacks" to Anil Ambani's company. 

Anil Ambani's Reliance Group rejected Gandhi's charges as false and said Ambani and his company are being continuously dragged into a political battle in view of upcoming polls.

In an unprecedented shake-up in the CBI's 55-year-history, both Verma and his deputy, Special Director Rakesh Asthana, were divested of their powers and sent on leave in a dramatic overnight action by the government last month.

The Supreme Court has set a two-week deadline for the CVC to complete the inquiry against Verma. The court has directed that the inquiry be conducted under the supervision of a retired apex court judge and barred IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who has been given interim charge of looking after the duties of CBI Director, from taking any policy or major decision.

The feud between Verma and Asthana escalated recently leading to registration of an FIR against Asthana and others including Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, who is in the CBI custody in an alleged bribery case.

The FIR was lodged on a written complaint of Satish Sana on October 15. It alleged that Kumar, the investigating officer (IO) in a case, was repeatedly calling him to the CBI office to harass and compel him to pay bribe of Rs 5 crore for giving him clean chit. Asthana and Kumar have both challenged the FIR in the Delhi High Court.