Alok Verma – CBI: Supreme Court defers hearing, matter to be taken up on Friday

The petitions in Supreme Court by CBI Director Alok Verma and NGO Common Cause challenging the decision of Central government to send Verma on leave, will be heard on Friday this week..The hearing was deferred after a delay by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in submitting inquiry report against Verma..The Court had directed CVC to submit its report by November 11, but the report was handed over to the Court in sealed cover only today..Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apologised to the Court for the delay..All the decisions taken by interim Director M Nageshwar Rao was also handed over to the Court..The Court then proceeded to list the case for Friday, November 16..This decision by the Central Government to send the CBI Director, Alok Verma on leave came in the wake of the internal crisis that has plagued the CBI after it registered an FIR against its joint Director Rakesh Asthana..The charges against Asthana in the FIR relate to his acceptance of a bribe ofRs. 3 crore by one Sathish Sana, who was involved in the Moin Qureshi case..Last month, Asthana also moved the Delhi High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR..Subsequently, the Central government ordered Verma and Asthana to go on leave, while appointing M Nageshwar Rao as interim Director..During the last hearing, the Supreme Court had ordered that a CVC inquiry that had been initiated against Alok Verma, be completed within two weeks under the supervision of former Supreme Court judge, AK Patnaik..The Court had also ordered that interim Director Rao should not take any major policy decisions.