New Delhi: Former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Kumar Verma, who was unceremoniously removed from the post may have to face disciplinary action and even lose his retirement benefits for allegedly "misusing his position" as the central agency director and violating rules during his service, sources said on Wednesday.
A DoPT source related to the development told reporters: "A file recommending disciplinary action against Verma has been received from Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and has been sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for further action."
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The Union Home Ministry (MHA) and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked the UPSC to take action against Verma, who was at the epicentre of a controversy in 2018, when Rakesh Asthana, the then special director of the probe agency had levelled allegations of corruption against him. The source said that the file for disciplinary action was received two to three days back.
Explaining the action, the source said that Verma may lose his retirement benefits as per the rules. The source said that the government has also cited that Verma, a 1979 batch IPS officer 'violated government rules' during his service. Verma, as the CBI Director, indulged in a bitter feud with the agency's Special Director Rakesh Asthana and traded charges of corruption against each other. Asthana has been appointed as the Delhi Police Commissioner in July.
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Following the open feud between the top two officers of the CBI, the government moved them out of the country's top premier investigative agency on October 23, 2018, on the recommendations of the CVC. Verma's name had recently also figured in the Pegasus 'snoop list'. The midnight coup in the CBI came barely two days after Verma ordered the filing of a criminal case against Asthana, the then special director in the Bureau, accusing him of corruption.
The Supreme Court, however, reinstated him to the same post on January 9, 2019. However, two days later a high powered committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with its other two members Justice A.K. Sikri and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, ousted him as the CBI Director in a 2-1 vote on January 11, 2019. Asthana, however, got a clean chit from the CBI in February 2020. Recently, he was given an extension for a year and was also appointed as Commissioner of Delhi Police.
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Verma had earlier requested for the consideration of his retirement after attaining the age of superannuation on July 31, 2017. He had also crossed the superannuation age for DG - Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards. Reporters tried to get the comments of Verma. However, by the time of filing this report he did not respond to repeated calls and messages.
IANS
