WEB DESK
CBI chief Alok Verma, his deputy Rakesh Asthana and several other officers were sent on leave in a overnight strike by the government in the middle of an unprecedented battle within the country’s top investigating agency.
M Nageswar Rao took over as interim director just after a government order at 1.45 am, which has been challenged by Alok Verma in court. When asked about the move, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the CBI’s institutional integrity has to be maintained.
The Supreme Court will hear the CBI director’s petition on Friday.
Both Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana were barred from their offices and officers working with the CBI director have been sent on leave. One officer in the director’s team, AK Bassi, has been transferred to Port Blair “in public interest”.
The rooms of these officers on the 10th and 11th floor of the CBI’s headquarters in Delhi are being searched, say sources.