PM-led panel discusses probe report against Alok Verma, to meet again tomorrow

New Delhi, Jan 9: A selection committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice A K Sikri and leader of largest opposition party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge met on Wednesday to decide on the fate of CBI Director Alok Verma, reinstated by a Supreme Court order after he was sent on forced leaveby the government over two months ago.

The outcome of the meeting, which took place at the prime minister's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, was not immediately known. According to reports, the panel is reported to have decided to hold a second meeting tomorrow.

Kharge had earlier asked the government to defer the meeting since he hadn't studied the Supreme Court's order on Alok Verma. In his letter, he had asked for the meeting to be held on January 11, giving him enough time to study the judgment.

He said that he would be able to put forth his party's point of view only after studying the judgment.

Kharge had demanded answers from the Prime Minister stating that the decision was made without consulting other members of the panel that selected him. Kharge was part of the three-member panel headed by Modi that had selected Verma as CBI chief.

On Tuesday, in a major setback to the government the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI director, after he had been sent on leave. The court however said that the Selection Committee would take a final call on the fate of Verma and directed it to decide on the matter within a week.

In sending Verma on leave, the government had overlooked the immunity given to the CBI director by the Supreme Court ensuring a two-year minimum tenure to protect the incumbent from any political interference.

Defending the decision, the government had maintained that it was trying to protect the CBI and that it had become necessary to take the call due to the unprecedented feud between the two senior-most officials of the agency.