AMN / NEW DELHI
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi recuses from hearing a plea challenging M Nageswara Rao’s appointment as interim CBI chief.
The Chief Justice said he was recusing himself from the hearing because he is a member of the high-powered selection committee that will pick a successor to Alok Verma, who was removed as CBI director months after he was sent on leave and replaced by Nageswara Rao.
Nageswara Rao took over from him a second time after the selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to remove Alok Verma and transfer him to fire services.
The selection panel is likely to meet on January 24 to appoint the new CBI director. Besides PM Modi and the Chief Justice, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge is part of the committee, representing the opposition.
Chief Justice Gogoi had recused himself from the panel and before it decided to sack Alok Verma as he was part of the Supreme Court bench that passed an order on Mr Verma. Another top court judge, AK Sikri, was nominated to represent him.