In CBI vs CBI, Supreme Court set to hear Alok Verma's petition today

New Delhi, Oct 25: The Supreme Court's bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Friday will hear pleas filed by CBI director Alok Verma and an NGO against the government's order sending him on leave and relieving him of charge as CBI Director.

The CBI director position has fixed term of two years. Verma is scheduled to retire after four months.

The petition filed in the Supreme Court by Alok Verma on Wednesday said that the investigating agency's autonomy was being compromised as "certain investigations into high functionaries do not take the direction that may be desirable to the government". Verma had moved the court on Wednesday morning, hours after the government sent him on leave from his position as the CBI director and named M Nageshwar Rao the interim director.

Verma urged the top court to insulate the agency from governmental interference. Verma told the court that decision of the Department of Personnel and Training and the Central Vigilance Commission to divest him of his powers overnight was "patently illegal".

CBI director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana have been sent on leave amidst an internal rift at the country's top investigating agency. M Nageswara Rao, a joint director at the agency, has been appointed its interim director.

Nageshwara Rao, who hails from Warangal district in Telangana, is from the 1986 batch of Odisha cadre and supersedes Rakesh Asthana.

However, CBI on Thursday said that Alok Verma will continue to remain CBI chief until Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) completes its probe. CBI also clarified that Rao is the interim director and Ashthana will also continue his term as the Special Director.

The move comes after a week-long standoff that began with CBI boss Alok Verma filing a case against his deputy, Rakesh Asthana, accusing him of bribery in an investigation.