The removal of CBI Director Alok Verma by a high-powered committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday night—two days after he was reinstated—has predictably set off a political storm. Verma issued a press statement on his removal, calling for preserving the independence of the CBI.
Verma issued a statement to PTI hours after he was removed and transferred. Verma claimed he was transferred to the post of director general, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, based on “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations” made only by one person who was inimical to him.
Verma also batted for preserving the independence of the CBI, noting, “It 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 [by the Supreme Court]," he said.
Verma had resumed duty as CBI director on Wednesday, a day after the Supreme Court paved the way for his return with some riders and asked the three-member panel that selects the CBI chief to decide on his continuation in a week in the light of charges against him in a CVC report.
Headed by Modi, the high-powered committee comprised leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Justice A.K. Sikri, appointed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as his nominee. Kharge had noted his dissent with the decision to remove Verma.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi led the criticism of the Modi government's push to remove Verma. Gandhi tweeted the removal of Verma showed Modi was a “prisoner of his own lies”, linking the move to the controversy over the purchase of the Rafale fighters from France.
Fear is now rampaging through Mr Modi’s mind. He can’t sleep. He stole 30,000Cr from the IAF and gave it to Anil Ambani. Sacking the CBI Chief #AlokVerma twice in a row, clearly shows that he is now a prisoner of his own lies.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 10, 2019
Satyamev Jayate.
Gandhi tweeted, “Fear is now rampaging through Mr Modi’s mind. He can’t sleep. He stole 30,000Cr from the IAF and gave it to Anil Ambani. Sacking the CBI Chief #AlokVerma twice in a row, clearly shows that he is now a prisoner of his own lies. Satyamev Jayate.” Gandhi and other opposition leaders such as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had previously linked the Modi government's antagonism towards Verma with the possibility of a probe over the Rafale deal.
