Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who was part of the high-powered committee that decided to remove Alok Verma as the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has submitted a dissent note over the decision.
In his dissent letter, Kharge has alleged that the report of the Central Vigilance Committee (CVC), which was submitted before the Supreme Court, did not arrive at “any conclusive finding” with respect to the allegations against Alok Verma.
The veteran Congress leader has also written in his dissent letter that Alok Verma was “wrongfully deprived of” the completion of his tenure as the CBI director.
“In the CBI judgement, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has clearly and compellingly stated that the order passed by the CVC dated October 23, 2018 was illegal and without authority,” the leader of Opposition has written.
He has further said, “In the interests of justice, equity and good conscience, there can be absolutely no alternative but to extend the terms of service of Shri Alok Verma as Director, CBI, to the full two years, as mandated under law.”
On Thursday, reacting to the decision of the committee, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Alok Verma said that the CBI’s “independence should be preserved and protected” and “it must function without external influences”.
“I have tried to uphold the integrity of the institution while attempts were being made to destroy it. The same can be seen from the orders of the central government and the CVC dated October 23, 2018, which were without jurisdiction and were set aside,” said Verma in a statement to news agency PTI.
Verma termed it “sad” that he was transferred to another post pursuant to the orders of the committee on the basis of “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations made by only one person, who was inimical to him”.
Source: Zee News