Alok Verma resignation rejected, govt asks former CBI chief to rejoin work for a day

The government has rejected Indian Police Service officer Alok Verma's resignation from service. Alok Verma was the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. He was shunted out from the post earlier this month.

In protest, Alok Verma resigned from IPS. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs has rejected his resignation effectively asking him to rejoin work. But for a day -- today is the date Alok Verma would have retired from service.

Alok Verma has been asked to rejoin work as the director general of fire services, civil defence and home guards -- a post Alok Verma was transferred to after being removed from the post of CBI director.

Alok Verma was transferred out of the Central Buruea of Investigation after a long-lasting controversy that even involved the Supreme Court.

Last year, the CBI hit headlines not for solving an incredible crime but for an intra-agency feud that involved its top two officers -- director Alok Verma and his No. 2, special director Rakesh Asthana.

The Alok Verma-led CBI booked Rakesh Asthana in a case of corruption. Rakesh Asthana in turn wrote to the government, accusing CBI chief Alok Verma of taking bribes.

The Alok Verma-Rakesh Asthana feud, labelled CBI vs CBI by the media, forced the government to step in. The Narendra Modi government sent the warring CBI officers on forced leave.

CBI director Alok Verma and CBI special director Rakesh Asthana accused each other of corruption.

The government stepped in, sent both Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana on forced



leave.

Alok Verma challenged this in the Supreme Court, which set aside the forced leave order.

A select panel, which the Supreme Court said had the sole authority of acting against a CBI director, then removed Alok Verma as CBI chief.

Alok Verma was transferred to the post of director general of fire services, civil defence and home guards. He quit.

The government has refused to let him quit and has asked him to rejoin work. For a day.

However, Alok Verma challenged this in the Supreme Court, contending that the government had no authority to take action against him.

Alok Verma argued that under Indian law, only a select committee that comprises of the Prime Minster of India, the Chief Justice of India (or his nominee) and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (or the leader of the single-largest opposition party in Lok Sabha) could take a call on the fate a CBI director.

The Supreme Court agreed with this and set aside the government order that had sent Alok Verma on forced leave.

A few days after the January 8, 2019 Supreme Court verdict, this select committee met. PM Narendra Modi and Justice AK Sikri (who was CJI Ranjan Gogoi's nominee) voted to remove Alok Verma as CBI chief. Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, dissented.

Alok Verma was transferred to the post of director general of fire services, civil defence and home guards -- a post he was supposed to hold till today, his retirement date. Verma however chose to quit the Indian Police Service instead of moving to his new post.

However, now the government has rejected the resignation.