CBI director Alok Verma appears before CVC for second consecutive day

Alok Verma appeared before the panel headed by Chowdary and comprising Vigilance Commissioners Sharad Kumar and TM Bhasin, among others.

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Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma on Friday appeared before Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) KV Chowdary in connection with corruption charges levelled against him by CBI special director Rakesh Asthana.

Verma appeared before the panel headed by Chowdary and comprising Vigilance Commissioners Sharad Kumar and TM Bhasin, among others. However, no further details of the meeting were divulged by officials.

Both Verma and Asthana had met CVC Chowdary on Thursday as well. During the meeting, both top CBI officials reportedly gave their views on the ongoing investigation into corruption charges against them.

According to sources, both Verma and Asthana reached the Central Vigilance Commission office at around 1 pm on Thursday and stayed there for about an hour.

On October 26, the Supreme Court had asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana. Former SC judge AK Patnaik was asked to oversee the CVC inquiry.

The Centre and the CBI need to submit their findings in the matter in 10 days to the CVC, said the three-judge bench comprising of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the next date of hearing on November 12.

Verma's lawyer Fali Nariman had argued that the 'order passed by the CVC and the Union Government to send his client on leave was without any authority under the law.' 

The SC then issued notices to the Central Vigilance Commission and the Centre, asking them for their replies in the matter.

The Prime Minister’s Office had also intervened in the issue, summoning both the officials. Though no detail of the meeting was made public, reports said that the warring officials were asked to make amends as the reputation of the central investigating agency had taken a hit due to the feud.

(With PTI Inputs)