CBI Crisis: SC Asks Alok Verma to File Response ‘as Quickly as Possible’, Gives Him Three Extra Hours

The apex court, on November 16, had asked Verma to file his response in sealed cover to the preliminary probe report of the Central Vigilance Commission.

New Delhi: Acting on the direction of the Supreme Court, CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma on MOnday filed his response on findings of the Central Vigilance Commission’s report on corruption charges against him.

Earlier, the top court rejected Verma’s request seeking more time to file his response on the CVC report, making it clear that it will not adjourn the scheduled hearing on Tuesday.

The apex court, on November 16, had asked Verma to file his response in sealed cover to the preliminary probe report of the Central Vigilance Commission on corruption charges against the CBI Director by Monday.

The bench made clear that it will not shift the schedule date of hearing and asked him to file his response “as quickly as possible” during the day itself to enable it to peruse the reply.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was informed by lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Verma that the CBI Director had not been able to file his response with its registry.

“We are not shifting the date. You file as quickly as possible. We will have to read the response,” the bench said.

To this, the lawyer said the response will be filed during the day itself.

Earlier the apex court had said that the CVC has made some “very uncomplimentary” findings in its probe on corruption allegations against Verma and wanted further investigations into some of the charges which required more time, adding there were also some “very complimentary” conclusions.

The bench was hearing Verma’s plea challenging the government’s decision to divest him of duties and sending him on leave.