NEW DELHI, Oct 24: In a post-midnight drama, the Centre on Wednesday virtually sacked CBI Director Alok Verma in the midst of the war at the agency's top, a decision that came under all-round fire from the opposition who termed it "the last nail in the independence" of the organisation. Verma moved the Supreme Court, which will hear his plea on Friday.
Verma who has two more months as the Central Bureau of Investigation chief and cannot be removed formally. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which took the decision on Verma, also asked Joint Director M. Nageshwar Rao to "look after the duties and functions of the CBI Director".
An official order said the arrangement would continue "during the period of the subsistence of the aforesaid interim measure", as the rift between Verma and CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana escalated over bribery allegations. - IANS
