Samikhsya Bureau
Former Central Bureau of Investigation director Alok Verma has done what any self-respecting person will do.
A day after being “transferred” as the director general of fire services civil defence and home guards by the selection committee, he resigned. The selection comprised the prime minister, a Supreme Court judge representing the chief justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha.
In a strong letter to the department of personnel and training secretary C. Chandramouli, Verma said that the selection committee did not provide him an opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the Central Vigilance Commissioner before arriving at the decision (of removing him from the CBI). “Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned (Verma) is removed from the post of the Director CBI,” he said.
In his letter, Verma said that he would have superannuated as on July 31, 2017 but was serving the government as the director of the CBI till January 31, 2019. He said that as he was no longer CBI director, he could not be the DG of fire services civil defence and home guards because he had already crossed the superannuation age. Accordingly, he may be deemed as superannuated, he added.
Verma further said: “Institutions are one of the strongest and most visible symbols of democracy and it is no exaggeration that the CBI is one of the most important organisations in India today. The decision made yesterday will not just be a reflection on my functioning but will become a testimony on how the CBI as an institution will be treated by any government through the CVC, who is appointed by majority members of the ruling government.”
The selection committee’s decision has drawn a lot of criticism as it seems unilateral and vindictive. It has given the opposition enough ammunition to the opposition that alleges that Modi has got Verma removed hastily he is gripped by the fear of Rafale scam. The BJP government’s decision has in fact turned Verma into a martyr.
The decision of the selection committee to remove Verma 48 hours after the Supreme Court had reinstated him to his position reflects Prime Minister Modi’s urgency to get rid of him from the top post. This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court had restrained Verma from taking any policy decision.
The BJP government had asked Verma to proceed on leave in October last year in a midnight swoop after he had ordered filing FIR against his deputy Rakesh Asthana, a blue eyed boy of Modi, in connection with a bribery case. Besides Asthana’s case, the BJP government was also reportedly peeved with Verma as he was reportedly readying himself to initiate a preliminary enquiry (PE) on alleged Rafale scam.
