CBI: Reversal of Verma ordered transfers by Nageshwar Rao challenged in SC

New Delhi, Jan 21: A K Bassi, an officer with the Central Bureau of Investigation has approached the Supreme Court challenging the reversal of the transfer orders made by ousted CBI chief Alok Verma.

After being sent on leave, the Centre had appointed Nageshwara Rao as the interim CBI director. Upon taking over, he made effected several transfers in the CBI. After Verma was reinstated by the Supreme Court, he reversed the transfers.

However after the high powered committee removed Verma, Rao was made interim chief, following which he reversed Verma's decisions.

Earlier Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi recused himself from hearing the petition that challenged the appointment of Nageshwar Rao as the interim CBI chief.

The CJI said that he would be taking part in the high powered committee meet to select a new CBI director. The matter would now be placed before another Bench for hearing.

The Supreme Court had last week agreed to hear next week the plea by an NGO challenging the January 10 order of the government appointing IPS officer M Nageswara Rao as interim director of the CBI.

CBI's Additional Director Rao was given the charge of interim chief on January 10 till the appointment of a new director after a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed Alok Kumar Verma as the chief of the probe agency on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty.