Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders detained during the protest in Delhi

Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders were detained on Friday afternoon as they protested at the CBI headquarters in Delhi against the Narendra Modi government’s move to divest the investigation agency’s director Alok Verma of his powers earlier this week.

Gandhi marched along with hundreds of party leaders and workers for about a kilometre from Dayal Singh College on Lodhi Road to the CBI headquarters, holding up placards with slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Scores of police personnel were deployed along the way.

The march ended in a demonstration near the CBI office and Rahul Gandhi got on to a truck in front of the police barricades put up ahead of the CBI headquarters in the CGO complex to prevent the protesters from reaching the building. He and other Congress leaders were detained and taken to the Lodhi Colony police station.

Among the senior Congress leaders who joined the march were Ashok Gehlot, Ahmed Patel, Motilal Vora, Veerappa Moily and Anand Sharma. Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, CPI leader D Raja and TMC’s Nadimul Haque also joined the protest.

Ashok Gehlot said the decision to remove CBI director Alok Verma was “illegal”.

“Our demand is to reinstate the CBI director. As per the



law, he can be transferred only with the consent of the appointing authority (comprising Chief Justice of India, the prime minister and the leader of opposition). The prime minister should tender an apology to the nation for destroying the image of the premier investigating agency,” Congress’ Gehlot said.

The government, however, has strongly defended its decision, saying it was “absolutely essential” to maintain the CBI’s institutional integrity and the move was based on recommendations by the Central Vigilance Commissioner.

The Congress’ protests in the national capital were replicated in several other states.

CBI chief Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana were stripped off charges late on Tuesday night after both accused of corruption. Soon after the Centre appointed interim CBI director M Nageswar Rao.

This morning, the Supreme Court directed Central Vigilance Commission to complete their probe against CBI director Alok Verma in two weeks under the supervision of a retired top court judge. The top court also prohibited interim CBI director Rao from taking any major decisions and stick to routine tasks. A list of all decisions taken by Rao will have to be produced before the court in a sealed cover on November 12, the next date of hearing.