Why we ‘sacked’ Alok Verma: Justice AK Sikri

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government sacked Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma on Thursday. Nageshwar Rao has been appointed as the interim chief.

Markandey Katju, a retired Supreme Court judge, reproduced a section of reasoning by Justice AK Sikri on why he believed that Verma should be sacked.

Justice Sikri was on the three-member committee which resolved (by a 2-1 majority) to remove Verma from the post of director of the CBI.

Also read: Modi govt fires Alok Verma as CBI director, Nageshwar Rao back as interim chief

In a Facebook post, Katju wrote that many people were wondering why Verma was not given a hearing by the committee before taking a decision. So Katju telephoned Justice Sikri and asked him what he had to say about this.

Excerpts from the post on why Justice Sikhri sacked Alok Verma:

• The CVC had recorded prima facie findings of guilt on some serious charges against Verma on the material before it.
   
• The CVC had given a hearing to Verma before recording its prima facie findings.
   
• In view of these serious prima facie findings of guilt, and after perusing the material on which they were based, Justice Sikri was of the opinion that until the matter was fully investigated and a final decision given about the guilt or innocence of Verma he should not remain on the post of director, CBI but should be shifted to another post equivalent in rank.
   
• Verma's service has not been terminated, as some people believe. He has not even been suspended, but only transferred retaining his salary and perks.
   
• As regards the question of not giving a hearing to Verma, it is a settled principle that even suspension can be done without giving the accused a hearing, and suspensions pending inquiry are very common. It is only dismissal which cannot be done without a hearing. 
   
• Verma has not even been suspended, far less dismissed. He has only been transferred to an equivalent post.

 

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