'Natural justice was scuttled': Sacked CBI chief Alok Verma resigns

New Delhi: A day after Alok Verma was removed as CBI director by a high-powered panel led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the officer resigned from the Indian Police Service on Friday.

Verma, who was ordered to take charge as the Director General Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard, had claimed that he was transferred on basis of "false, frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations" made by only one person who was inimical to him.

In his resignation letter, Verma claimed that he was not given the opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the CVC before arriving at the decision. He said that "natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director."

He further added, "The decisions made yesterday will not just be a reflection on my functioning but will become a testimony on how the CBI as an institution will be treated by any government through the CVC..."

"This is a moment of collective introspection," he said.

"Also, it may be noted that the undersigned already superannuated as on July 31, 2017 and was only serving Government as Director, CBI till January 31, 2019, as the same was fixed tenure role. The undersigned is no longer Director, CBI and has already crossed the superannuation age for DG Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today," Verma added in his letter to Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training Friday.

On Thursday, Verma was removed as CBI director in a split verdict after the high-powered committee, comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice A K Sikri and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, met in the national capital to decide his fate.

According to officials, there were eight charges against Verma in the CVC report presented before the panel which included alleged attempts to induct tainted officers, compromising probe in the case related to controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi, IRCTC scam among others.

Special Director Rakesh Asthana, with whom Verma had a public feud, had given a complaint against him to the Cabinet Secretary in August which was referred to the CVC.