A day after he was transferred out of the office of CBI Director and posted as Director general of Fire services, Alok Verma refused to take charge and resigned from service.

In a statement,  Verma who was to retire on January 31 said . “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 stepped down barely 48 hours after the SC had reinstated him after a high powered committee headed by PM Narendra Modi recommended that he be removed on charges of corruption.

The top court had placed him back in the job with some riders and asked the three-member panel that selects the CBI chief to decide on his continuance in a week in the light of charges against him in the report of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). His two-year tenure as director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)  would have ended on January 31.

Officials said the decision to move Verma out of the CBI came after the high-powered committee consisting of the PM, The leader of the opposition and a judge of the Siupreme ourt AK Sikri met for the second time in two days to decide his fate. Following his removal, the charge of CBI was given to Additional Director M Nageshwar Rao.

Stating that he had an unblemished record, Verma said: “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 (Central Vigilance Commission), who is appointed by the majority members of the ruling government. This is a moment of collective introspection.” (see full letter below)

—India Legal Bureau