After being sent on leave, CBI chief Alok Verma moves SC, hearing on 26

New Delhi, Oct 24: CBI chief, Alok Verma has challenged the government order after he was sent on leave before an interim chief was appointed.

The Supreme Court has admitted the petition and will hear the same on October 26. Appearing for Verma, advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said that the government had asked his client and special director Rakesh Asthana to go on leave. This would compromise the probe into several sensitive cases, he also said.

He also said that the investigating officers of sensitive cases are being changed. At 6 am today, both Verma and Asthana was asked to go on leave and this will jeopardise the probe into several cases.

The Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi will hear the matter on Friday.

Following the ugly public spat, the government decided to send both Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana on leave. Following this M Nageshwar Rao was appointed as the interim director with immediate effect. Verma would now move the Supreme Court against this order of the government.

In a late night order the government appointed Rao as the interim chief of the CBI. The order stated, " The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved that during the period of the subsistence of the aforesaid interim measure, cited in reference above, Shri M Nageshwar Rao, IPS, presently working as Joint Director, CBI shall look after duties and functions of Director CBI and shall take over duties and functions with immediate effect."

The Delhi High Court had on Tuesday directed the CBI to maintain status quo on the criminal proceedings that were initiated against Asthana. A trial court had sent a CBI SP, Devender Singh to seven days police remand in connection with the alleged bribery case in which the CBI made Asthana an accused. The HC will hear the matter next on October 29.