The Supreme Court said the CVC analysis on claims and counter-allegations in the feud on Friday between CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana should be completed in 10 days under supervision of court.
The Centre and the CBI were asked by the apex court to provide the CVC report in a sealed cover within 10 days. Upon this direction, the CVC pleaded that 10 days for CBI inquiry is not enough as it has to look into several documents. The top court then granted two weeks’ time to the CVC for concluding the probe.
The apex court directed that interim CBI chief M Nageswara Rao shall not take any major policy decisions. Decisions taken by him since October 23 till date shall not be implemented, it said.
All decisions taken by Rao shall be placed before the apex court in a sealed cover.
The top court said former Supreme Court judge A K Patnaik will oversee a Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) inquiry into the allegations and counter allegations and the report has to be placed before it within two weeks.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the next date of hearing on November 12.
The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, issued notices on the petition filed by an NGO, Common Cause, which has sought a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe against the CBI officers.
CBI’s Special Director Rakesh Asthana has also been named as one of the respondents in the NGO’s petition.
Verma and Asthana have made allegations of corruption against each other.
During the brief hearing Friday, senior advocate F S Nariman advanced arguments on behalf of the CBI chief. He submitted that the CBI director was appointed with the approval of a selection panel having the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.
Nariman referred to the CVC and Centre’s orders divesting Verma of his duty. He also cited the Vineet Narain judgment to support Verma’s pleas.
