Substantiated to not substantiated: The CVC report that cost Alok Verma his job

New Delhi, Jan 11: Alok Verma was removed as CBI chief and transferred following a decision by the selection panel on Thursday. In a 2:1 verdict, the panel cited the report of the Central Vigilance Commission while ordering his exit.

The CVC had probed 10 major allegations against Verma of which four were substantiated on the basis of circumstantial evidence. The main allegation that the CVC probed was relating to accepting bribe from Moin Qureshi through a middleman Satish Babu Sana. He is a key witness for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate against Qureshi.

The CVC in this case observed that it is prima facie established that the conduct of Verma is suspicious. While there is no direct evidence on the allegation of payment of bribe of Rs 2 crore, in the light of circumstantial evidence the entire truth in the said allegation will come out if a thorough criminal investigation is ordered by the Supreme Court of India.

While dealing with the IRCTC case, it was alleged that efforts were made to exclude the name of one Rakesh Saxena from the scam in which Lalu Prasad Yadav has been named. The CVC said that this amounts to serious misconduct. However the allegation that Verma tree to call of the searches at Patna has not been substantiated.

In the Ranchi bank fraud case, it was alleged that IPS officer Rajiv Singh, a joint director with the CBI was a guarantor in one of the bank loans taken by his brother Sanjay Singh. To avail the loan Singh had submitted false documents to the bank it was alleged.

The CVC observed that there was delay in finalising the investigation report by the CBI Director, Verma. He should have ensured the completion of the investigation. The failure to do so appears to have led to the allegation that he favoured Singh, the CVC said.

On the allegation that Verma transferred the case to the Economic Offences Wing in Ranchi when Singh was given a position that allowed him to monitor developments and influence the probe, the CVC said that the allegation is not substantiated.

On an allegation that Verma had not shared intelligence inputs about two industrialists, the CVC said that the allegation is not substantiated.

On an allegation that Verma had helped a gold smuggler the CVC said that the same is partially substantiated. The CVC said that the allegation that Verma had helped a cattle smuggler is not substantiated.