What Happened At CBI Headquarters The Night M Nageswar Rao Took Charge
Team Udayavani, Oct 25, 2018, 10:15 AM IST
New Delhi: On any normal night, the headquarters of the CBI is steeped in silence with only alert sentries of CISF seen guarding the imposing building, but Tuesday night was different.
Around 10 pm, teams of about 15-16 officers entered the compound in Innova and Ertiga cars, sources said. A white sedan followed with M Nageswar Rao, who was given charge of duties and functions of CBI director. History was made as no director of the agency was changed in such manner.
A 1986-batch Odisha cadre officer, Mr Rao went straight to his office and took charge of the position around 11.30 pm as rest of the CBI staff was clueless about the changes taking place in the agency.
Alok Verma, who was director till then, had left the building earlier around 7.30 PM which is the normal routine.
He had earlier visited his North Block office during the day as an unprecedented tussle with his deputy, Special Director Rakesh Asthana, had reached the court.
Mr Verma remained in the North Block office till afternoon and left for lunch keeping a tab on local court proceedings where the CBI was strongly arguing to get the custody of its own Deputy SP Devender Kumar on charges of “extortion” from a businessman being probed by him, the sources said.
He was seeking information on the developments of the Delhi High Court where Mr Asthana had approached seeking quashing of FIR naming him. A similar petition was also filed by Mr Kumar.
In the evening, in Satarkata Bhavan, the Central Vigilance Commission was holding a crucial meeting which had to decide the fate of two feuding officers of the CBI — Mr Verma and Mr Asthana — who had levelled allegations of corruption against each other.
Mr Asthana was booked by the CBI on October 15 in a case of corruption. After going through available documents, the CVC in an unanimous decision recommended divesting all the powers of Mr Verma and Mr Asthana. The recommendation was sent to the government around 8-8.30 pm, the sources said.
On the basis of the recommendation, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet handed over the charge of CBI Director to Joint Director Rao as “interim measure”.
After completing formalities of taking charge, Mr Rao directed the officials to take charge of all the crucial files as sought by the CVC and to ensure no material is tampered with.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Priyanka Gandhi questions govt under Cong’s media campaign for LS polls
Delhi under constitutional crisis, Kejriwal should quit if he has scant regard for people: BJP
Fare of shared cabs on Pune, Nashik and Shirdi routes from Mumbai hiked
Sena (UBT) firm on contesting from Sangli, nobody should do anything that will help BJP: Raut
Hope govt is serious over issue of revocation of AFSPA in J-K: Mehbooba
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Priyanka Gandhi questions govt under Cong’s media campaign for LS polls
Delhi under constitutional crisis, Kejriwal should quit if he has scant regard for people: BJP
Fare of shared cabs on Pune, Nashik and Shirdi routes from Mumbai hiked
Cong’s D K Suresh, only incumbent MP from Karnataka, files nomination from Bangalore Rural
Sena (UBT) firm on contesting from Sangli, nobody should do anything that will help BJP: Raut