Justice Sikri wants controversy to ‘die’, gets support of senior lawyers

A controversy broke out on Sunday over Justice Sikri getting a government offer last year for a post-retirement assignment at the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal

Justice A K Sikri of the Supreme Court wants the controversy, over his proposed post-retirement assignment and nomination on the PM-led panel which removed Alok Verma as CBI chief, to “die” even as some senior advocates Monday termed the incident mischievous and aimed at targeting him.

“See I don’t want the controversy to be dragged. I want it to die,” Justice Sikri told PTI on the sidelines of a private function relating to the release of a book on the life of former Chief Justice of India Y K Sabharwal. He refrained from making any further comments on the episode.

A controversy broke out on Sunday over Justice Sikri getting a government offer last year for a post-retirement assignment at the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT), three days after his vote, as a representative of CJI Ranjan Gogoi on the panel, helped decide the removal of Verma as CBI director. Apparently stung by the controversy, Justice Sikri withdrew his consent to the government offer.

On Monday, Justice Sikri, the senior-most judge after Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, maintained a safe distance from scribes but former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said he has been “unfairly targeted” by some political leaders and activist-lawyers.

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CBI officer probing Akhilesh Yadav in illegal mining case transferred

Shuffling of senior officers at CBI continues after committee led by Prime Minister Modi removed agency chief.

Latest news: CBI officer Gagandeep Gambhir, who was supervising the investigation into the alleged role of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in an illegal mining case, has been transferred in the latest reshuffle at the agency, said sources Monday.

Gambhir, a deputy inspector general, has been shifted to a unit probing the Srijan scam and the case against journalist Upendra Rai. She will also have the additional charge of DIG in Special Investigation Team headed by Joint Director Sai Manohar, sources said.

The Special Investigation Team, which was earlier headed by Rakesh Asthana, is probing important cases like that of Vijay Mallya and Agusta Westland. It is also probing some coal scam related cases, among others.

The new transfers were made by M Nageswara Rao, who was made the interim chief of the CBI after a high-powered committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice A K Sikri and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge transferred Alok Verma out of the agency in a split verdict Thursday.

The probe in the Uttar Pradesh illegal mining case will now be supervised by DIG Anish Prasad, who was earlier Deputy Director (Personnel and Admin). The case is being probed by Special Crime III unit, according to the sources.

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Verdict on Rakesh Asthana’s plea seeking quashing of FIR; top developments

CBI booked Asthana on the allegations of receiving a bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi

Latest News: The Delhi High Court will on Friday pronounce its verdict on a petition filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Director Rakesh Asthana and DSP Devendra Kumar seeking quashing of the First Information Report (FIR) against them in a bribery case. The FIR was registered against Asthana and others after a preliminary inquiry by the then CBI officials.

The investigating agency filed an FIR against Asthana for allegedly accepting a bribe from a businessman, who was related to controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi case. Asthana was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was probing the Qureshi case. The case against Kumar and Asthana, among others, was registered based on a complaint received by Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana on October 15.

All you need to know about Rakesh Asthana vs Alok Verma case

• Rakesh Asthana case: CBI booked Asthana on the allegations of receiving a bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi – a charge levelled by the officer on CBI Director Alok Verma in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary.

What we know about Rakesh Asthana

A 1984-cadre IPS officer, Rakesh Asthana was appointed as the special director of the CBI in October 2017. The appointment of the Gujarat cadre officer had not gone down well with many. His appointment was even challenged in the court by senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan. He was a part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that looked into the 2002 Godhra train burning case. He also investigated the fodder scam between 1994 to 2001 in which former Bihar chief minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted….

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PM-led committee removes Alok Verma as CBI chief 48 hrs after reinstatement

Given charge of DG, fire services and civil defence

Latest News: The high-level selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has removed Alok Verma 48 hours after he was reinstated as director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Supreme Court.

The decision was taken on Thursday evening in a closed-door meeting that lasted three hours. According to sources, the panel took into account serious allegations flagged by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in its report, which was being presented before the panel comprising Justice A K Sikri, besides Modi and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. Sikri was appointed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as his representative.

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The selection panel found merit in the charges levelled against him. It is of the view that being the head of a very sensitive organisation, Verma was not functioning with the integrity expected of him, said sources privy to the development. The panel was expected to decide whether Verma, whose term ends on January 31, will continue to be the top boss of the central agency.

Modi and Justice Sikri found his continuance untenable and hence he should be transferred. However, Kharge opposed the move. He wanted to put the decision on hold but the other two decided against it. Verma has been given charge of director general, fire services, civil defence and home guard. The panel is expected to announce his successor in a week.Meanwhile, M Nageshwar Rao took charge as interim chief.

Keep Reading: Alok Verma

SC reinstates Alok Verma as CBI Director: Opposition goes after PM, govt

The court needed to consider competence of CVC, without the nod of the selection panel, said Justice S K Kaul while reading out the verdict, authored by Justice Gogoi

Latest News|In a major blow to the NDA government, a Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday ruled in favour of deposed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma. The apex court ordered the government to reinstate Alok Verma in his position as CBI director. The apex court said, “Statute would have spelt out if interim measures against CBI Director were permissible.”

The SC ordered that the High Power Committee under DSPE Act has to act within a week to consider his case. Meanwhile, Alok Verma has to be reinstated. Alok Vermashall cease and desist from taking any major policy decision until the Committee takes a decision, the court said…

Here are some of the reactions to the development

On SC’s verdict on Alok Verma plea, Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress said: We’re not against one individual, welcome SC’s judgement, it’s a lesson for govt. Today you’ll use these agencies to pressurise people, tomorrow somebody else will, What will happen to democracy then?

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasn’t CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself?

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CBI vs CBI case: In blow to Modi govt, SC orders Alok Verma’s reinstatement

In a midnight move in October, the Union government had asked Alok Verma to go on leave following a public spat with his deputy and special CBI director Rakesh Asthana

Latest News: Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday ruled in favour of deposed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma. The court ordered the government to reinstate him in his position as CBI director. The apex court said, “Statute would have spelt out if interim measures against CBI Director were permissible.”

The SC ordered that the High Power Committee under DSPE Act has to act within a week to consider his case. Meanwhile, Alok Verma has to be reinstated. Alok Verma shall cease and desist from taking any major policy decision until the Committee takes a decision, the court said.

The court needed to consider competence of CVC, without the nod of the selection panel, said Justice S K Kaul while reading out the verdict, authored by Justice Gogoi. The word “transfer” cannot be given normal meaning. It has to be understood as encompassing acts, which affect the functioning of CBI Director, said the Supreme Court.

Verma had filed a plea in the Supreme Court and sought the quashing of three orders passed on October 23, 2018. Two orders had been passed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), and one by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). In a midnight move in October, the Union government had asked Alok Verma to go on leave following a public spat with his deputy and special CBI director Rakesh Asthana.

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