Supreme Court re-instates CBI Director | 10 Jan 2019

The Supreme Court has re-instated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma.

• The supreme court was hearing a petition filed by Alok Verma against an order divesting him of his power as a CBI director.
• However, SC has ordered him to “cease and desist” from taking any major policy decisions till a high-powered committee led by Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India decides on the question of his divestment.
• The judgment, delivered by a three-judge Bench concluded that the CVC and the government acted outside their authority to unilaterally divest Mr. Verma and appoint M. Nageshwar Rao as the interim CBI Director in decisions taken on October 23, 2018.
• The Bench has noted that the amendments flow from the principles laid down by the Supreme Court in 1997 in Vineet Narain Case to protect the agency, especially its Director, from external interference.

In Depth: Issue in CBI