The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended disciplinary action against former CBI director Alok Verma for allegedly "misusing his position" as the central agency director and violating rules during his service, PTI reported on Wednesday, 4 August, quoting officials.
A Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) source related to the development told IANS: "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."
The MHA and the 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.
If the action against him is approved, Verma may lose his pension and retirement benefits, the report said.
CBI vs CBI
During his stint as the CBI Director, Verma was engaged in a bitter feud with the agency's Special Director Rakesh Asthana, with both trading charges of corruption against each other.
The latter was appointed the Delhi Police Commissioner in July.
The controversy started when the CBI, under the leadership of Verma, had decided to file an FIR against Rakesh Asthana for accepting bribes in a money laundering scam. This was followed by Asthana pressing similar charges of corruption against Verma.
Verma was first officially removed from his post at the CBI director in October 2018 after the very public fight with Asthana. He was removed on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) but was reinstated by the Supreme Court on 9 January 2019.
Two days later, however, Verma was again removed by a high-level selection committee that included Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In October 2019, it was reported that Verma was running from pillar to post to claim his retirement benefits. A confidential letter of the Ministry of Home Affairs had allegedly stated that Verma’s General Provident Fund (GPF) and other retirement benefits have been held back by the Central government after he went on an unauthorised leave between 11 January and 31 January 2019.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS.)
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