Hearing the petition of CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma, who has challenged the government's decision to divest his duties and send him on leave, the Supreme Court on Friday said that Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) probe against Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana will be monitored by retired apex court judge Justice AK Patnaik.
The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has set a deadline of two weeks for the CVC to complete the enquiry against the top two bosses of country's premier investigating agency.
Here's what happened in Supreme Court:
1) The bench told Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, that it would examine the matter and CVC's inquiry should be completed within 10 days under the supervision of a sitting apex court judge.
2) "We want to see preliminary probe report in 10 days to decide whether it requires further probe," the bench said.
3) The court barred IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who has been given interim charge of looking after the duties of the CBI Director, from taking any policy decision or any major decision.
4) It also asked for a list of decisions taken by Rao from October 23 till Friday, including transfer of investigations and change of investigating officers, be placed before the court in a sealed cover by November 12, the date of next hearing in the case.
5) "We make it clear that entrustment of supervision of on-going enquiry by the CVC to a former judge of this court is one-time exception which has been felt necessary by this court in the peculiar facts of this case and should not be understood to be casting any reflection on any authority of the Government of India," said the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph.
6) Appearing for CVC, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said the commission was under the process of conducting inquiry and keeping in view the large number of documents involved, 10 days time would not be sufficient to complete the inquiry.
7) "We should get some reasonable and realistic time for the inquiry," he said. "Okay, then 240 hours. We do not want this to go on. This is not in the interest of the country. We do not want this to linger on," the bench told Mehta, adding, "We are confident that CVC will do it".
8) During the hearing, senior advocate Fali S Nariman, who appeared for CBI Director Alok Verma, said that the CBI director was appointed for a two year tenure with the approval of a selection panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.
9) "The question is whether the tenure could be breached at any time?," Nariman told the bench.
10) Nariman referred to the apex court's 1997 Vineet Narain judgement and amendments in the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act under which the CBI was constituted.
The Vineet Narain decision, delivered by the apex court in 1997, relates to investigation of allegations of corruption against high-ranking public officials in India.
WATCH: SC asks CVC to complete probe against CBI chief Alok Verma in 2 weeks
(With inputs from agencies)
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