Former CBI Director Alok Verma, who was transferred within 48 hours after being reinstated as CBI Director by the Supreme Court, has dismissed the corruption charges against him.
Verma said the corruption charges against him were false, unsubstantiated, and frivolous.
“It is sad that (on the) basis false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations made by only one person, who was inimical to me, I have been transferred to another post pursuant to the orders of the committee which was assigned the task of deciding my future course of action as Director CBI,” he said, referring to the allegations made against him by Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
He had issued a statement late Thursday night after he was removed from the post on Thursday evening after a 2-1 decision by the high-level Selection Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi’s nominee Justice AK Sikri, and leader of Congress, the single-largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjuna Kharge.
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had nominated Justice AK Sikri for the meeting of the high-powered selection panel because he was in the Supreme Court bench that had reinstated Verma as CBI director.
Shortly after the meeting, Verma was appointed Director General, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards till January 31 when his tenure would end.
Alok Verma, a 1979-batch IPS officer, said on Thursday night, “I have stood up for the integrity of the institution, and if asked, will do it again in order to uphold the rule of law.”
He also said that the CBI being a prime investigating agency dealing in corruption in high public places is an institution whose “independence should be preserved and protected.”
“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,” he added, referring to the orders of the government and the CVC of October 23 to divest him of his powers.
(With agency inputs)