CBI vs CBI: Supreme Court hearing on corruption allegations against Alok Verma today; key developments in the case so far

A crucial hearing in the case pertaining to corruption allegations against CBI director Alok Verma is scheduled for Tuesday morning in the Supreme Court. The proceedings in the top court are expected to have a major bearing on the ongoing feud in the country’s premier investigating agency. Following are the major developments in the matter in the past couple of months — -Verma filed his response on the findings of the CVC’s (Central Vigilance Commission) preliminary probe report on corruption charges against him in a sealed cover in the Supreme Court. The apex court had earlier in the day asked Verma to file his response “as quickly as possible” during the day and made it clear that it will not adjourn the scheduled hearing on Tuesday after his lawyer sought more time. [caption id=“attachment_5577961” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of CBI chief Alok Verma. News18[/caption] -On 16 November, the Supreme Court had asked Verma to file his response to the preliminary probe report of the Central Vigilance Commission in a sealed cover by Tuesday. The bench hearing the case had said that the CVC’s report was complimentary on some charges, not so complimentary some charges and very uncomplimentary on some other charges. -The CVC’s report was submitted to the Supreme Court on 12 November. The inquiry against Verma was conducted under the supervision of former apex court judge Justice AK Patnaik. -While asking the CVC to investigate the charges against Verma, the top court directed M Nageswara Rao, who has been given interim charge of the post of CBI director, not to take any policy decision. It had also directed that a list of decisions taken by Rao should be submitted to it in a sealed cover. -On 24 October, Verma had approached the apex court challenging the Centre’s decision to divest him of his duties and sending him on leave following his feud with special CBI director Rakesh Asthana, who has levelled corruption allegations against him. Both Verma and Asthana have been sent on leave. -The controversy erupted on 20 September, when the CVC initiated a fact-finding probe against Verma based on a complaint filed by Rakesh Asthana. -The war within the CBI  came to the fore after an FIR was lodged on 15 October against Asthana, who has also been divested of all powers, and others on the statement of Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana. The CBI registered an FIR against Asthana for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 2 crore from Sana, which was said to have been given through two middlemen Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad to sabotage the probe against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. With inputs from PTI