MHA for action against ex-CBI chief Alok Verma

New Delhi August 5 dmanewsdesk: The home ministry has recommended disciplinary action against former CBI chief Alok Verma for having misused his official position and also for violating the service rules.

Verma, a former Commissioner of Police, Delhi, was formally removed as the head of the premier investigating agency in January 2019 in the wake of corruption allegations against him. The disciplinary action, if okayed by UPSC, may entail a cut in Verma’s pension or permanent withdrawal of his pension and other post-retirement benefits.
Sources confirmed to that the home ministry had written to DoPT recommending disciplinary action against Verma, who had chosen not to join his posting as DG, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, following his removal as CBI director.

Verma’s ouster from CBI- okayed by the selection panel comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then CJI nominee Justice A K Sikri and then Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge- in January 2019 was based on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission.

The Commission had, after its inquiry on the Supreme Court’s directions into the allegations against Verma, stated that some of the allegations contained in a complaint against him forwarded by the cabinet secretary were prima facie established and that “they are of very grave nature impacting on the integrity of the officer concerned and the institution”.
Just before he was removed, Verma had leveled serious allegations against the then special director Rakesh Asthana.

The vigilance panel also told the Supreme Court that it had noticed that the secret note dated October 21, 2017 placed by Verma before the selection committee that considered and approved Rakesh Asthana’s appointment as special director may have been forged to block his appointment.

In fact, in its recommendation for removal of Verma as CBI director, CVC listed production of fabricated documents before the selection committee as a ground, saying it reflected complete lack of integrity and fairness on his part.

Just before he was removed, Verma had leveled serious allegations against Asthana, leading the latter to retaliate with accusations against the then CBI chief. Later, a probe cleared Asthana of all the charges.

CVC, in its summary findings into the allegations against Verma, said while there was no direct evidence of a bribe being paid to Verma by Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana in the Moin Qureshi case, his conduct was “circumspect/suspicious”.

It said it could be reasonably concluded that Verma had deliberately excluded the name of key conspirator Rakesh Saxena, IRCTC director, from the FIR in IRCTC case.

CVC said the inquiry into allegation regarding smuggling of gold at IGI airport, New Delhi, being probed by ACB, CBI, Delhi, found that Verma as the Delhi police commissioner had not taken vigilance action against then ACP Raj Kumar in spite of noticing a grave misconduct.

CVC also said allegations that Verma inducted “controversial” officers R P Upadhyay and Rajeev Krishna into CBI were also substantiated.

Source : The Times of India