Alok Verma sacked: AG Mukul Rohatgi slams CBI chief's reaction to removal; Congress says Narendra Modi fears probe in Rafale case

Former attorney general Mukul Rohatgi on Thursday said that Verma’s sharp reaction to his removal was “not in good taste”.

Verma has claimed that he was transferred on the basis of “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations” made by only one person who was inimical to him. Breaking his silence over the issue, Verma termed it “sad” that he was transferred to another post pursuant to the orders of the committee on the basis of “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations made by only one person, who was inimical to him”.

“I don’t think Alok Verma’s statements are in good taste. If the PM and a senior Supreme Court judge, after seeing the CVC report, gave a decision, then its not fair for Verma to say the decision is bad. The government should have settled this earlier. It has spoiled the name of the agency and the CBI,”  Rohatgi told ANI .

BJP leader  Subramanian Swamy told CNN-News18 , “I am shocked… I do not know whether Alok Verma was given an opportunity to rebut the charges made by the CVC.”

Earlier on Thursday, Swamy had said that Verma cannot be removed merely on the basis of a CVC report, without the government hearing him. He had asked the prime minister to not to listen to “bogus legal brains” in the government who had given wrong advice and landed the government in such a situation.

Swamy had gone to the probe agency’s headquarters to meet Verma, who resumed his duties on Wednesday. According to PTI, he told reporters that the CVC  report was based on the version of another officer who gave a “false report”. “It has to be investigated. I don’t think it can be done (Verma can be removed). If Verma is removed problem will get only worse not better. I would like the prime minister to take steps to see that this episode becomes history,” he said. Swamy, however, said he was not at the probe agency’s office regarding this issue.

CPM leader D Raja, reacting to the development,  told India Today  that this decision proves that the credibility of CBI is completely lost.

Whereas, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told CNN-News18 that he was sorry to hear this, adding that it was sad to see that a person who had 15 to 20 days left in the job was suddenly removed. He later tweeted that it is a case of “innumerable skeletons tumbling out of the government’s dirty cupboard” as the BJP and Narendra Modi could not “tolerate him for 20 days”. Instead of giving him compensatory 77 days additional tenure, he is summarily removed. CVC office totally compromised. Mere adjectives, absolutely no proof in the CVC report," he tweeted .

how comm decd wo Natural justice wo calling #alokverma for a hearing? How removed on mere allegations found in #cvc report. Cvc provided shoulder 4govt 2fire gun, completely compromising his office. SC judges in comm do nt exercise judl powers & r reviewable as any othr decision.

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) January 10, 2019

#alokverma 6 of 10 allegations nt made out; the 4relied upon have no findings; mere adjectives like behaviour nt upto mark, suspicion etc; if mere allegations were enuff wld #PM or #Amitshah step down on surmises &allegations. Remove CBI director wo hearing wo finding wo proof!

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) January 10, 2019

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan also tweeted to express his resentment against Verma’s removal. He called the move government’s “desperation to prevent any investigation”.

Breaking! So, a day after he resumed charge as CBI Director, the Committee headed by Modi again transfers out Alok Verma post haste, w/o even hearing him, fearing the prospect of his registering an FIR against Modi in the Rafale scam! Such desperation to prevent any investigation

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) January 10, 2019

Reacting to the development, the Congress said, “By removing Alok Verma from his position without giving him the chance to present his case, Narendra Modi has shown once again that he’s too afraid of an investigation, either by an independent CBI director or by Parliament via JPC.”

Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma alleged that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) “ had lost credibility and was compromised ”.

Whereas, Union Minister Piyush Goyal pointed out to Kharge’s double-standards as he called out the Congress leader for having dissented even when Verma was appointed as the CBI chief and now again when he was removed.

Indeed, Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge is a man of amazing consistency.

When Shri Alok Verma was appointed CBI chief by the selection committee, he dissented.

Now, when Shri Alok Verma has been removed by the same Selection Committee, he has dissented.

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) January 10, 2019

Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the “hurried” move saying that it shows Modi’s “desperation”.

Priyanka Chaturvedi,Congress on #AlokVerma: Hurried decision shows desperation level to ensure he gets out of the way as he was going to probe Rafale scam. In his dissent note,he(Kharge) has mentioned the loopholes in the manner in which constitutional norms were bypassed by Govt pic.twitter.com/RdTqDeZgBO

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2019

Congress leader and Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said that he senses a “conspiracy” behind the decision.

Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister on #AlokVerma transferred: There is something murky going on which needs to be investigated, the Congress party has already objected to it. Something very suspicious about all this pic.twitter.com/lEjEoJFs5a

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2019

The CBI chief and his deputy Special Director Rakesh Asthana were sent on a forced leave two months ago to stop the “Kilkenny cat fight” between them after they had publicly accused each other of corruption. Verma returned to his office after a 77-day exile following the Supreme Court setting aside a controversial government order divesting him of all powers on 23 October, 2018.

In its order on  Tuesday, the Supreme Court set aside Verma’s forced leave but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over. After taking over, Verma had revoked most of the transfers done by M Nageshwar Rao, who was appointed as the interim CBI chief in his absence.

Meanwhile, ahead of the meeting on Thursday, Kharge had said he has sought documents, including an enquiry report by the CVC into the matter. He had said that Verma should also be given an opportunity to appear before the committee and represent his case.

Earlier, Congress President Rahul Gandhi had also attacked the government ahead of the crucial meeting and said Modi is in a “tearing hurry” to “sack” Verma because of the Rafale deal.

With inputs from PTI