A day after he was transferred from the position of CBI Director, Alok Verma remarked that "natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring" that he is removed from the top post in the CBI. Verma was transferred to the post of Director General, Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards, which he has refused to take on.
In a letter addressed to C Chandramouli, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the ousted CBI chief said the Selection Committee has not provided him an "opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the CVC before arriving at the decision".
"The selection committee did not consider the fact that the entire CVC report is premised on charges alluded by a complainant who is presently under investigation by the CBI," Verma said in a veiled reference to CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
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Verma said the CVC only forwarded a purportedly-signed statement of the complainant (Asthana), and that the complainant never came before Justice (Retd) AK Patnaik, who is supervising the enquiry.
"Also, Justice Patnaik has concluded that the findings and conclusions of the report are not his," Verma said.
The axed CBI chief called for "collective introspection”, as he called the CBI "one of the most important organisations in India today".
“The decisions made yesterday (Thursday) 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. This is a moment for collective introspection, to state the least.”Alok Verma, in his letter
Verma Refuses New Post, Tells Govt To Treat Him 'Deemed Superannuated'
The 61-year-old has refused to assume the post of DG Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, pointing that he "would have already superannuated as on 31 July 2017 and was only serving the Government as Director, CBI till 31 January 2019, as the same was a fixed tenure role."
“The undersigned is no longer Director, CBI, and has already crossed his superannuation age for DG Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today.”Alok Verma, in his letter
Alok Verma was removed as the CBI director by the PM Modi-led High-Powered Committee by a 2:1 majority on Thursday, 10 January. The decision to transfer came 21 days ahead of the completion of his tenure. The committee also included Justice AK Sikri and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, with the latter giving a dissenting opinion.
(With inputs from PTI)
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