CBI Director Alok Verma appears before CVC, counters corruption charges

Srinagar: CBI Director Alok Verma Friday appeared before a panel headed by Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary and countered the corruption charges levelled against him by his deputy and special director in the probe agency Rakesh Asthana for the second consecutive day, officials said.

Verma is understood to have given point-wise refusal to all the allegations levelled by Asthana before the panel comprising Vigilance Commissioners T M Bhasin and Sharad Kumar, they said.

Justice A K Patnaik, a retired Supreme Court judge, who has been asked by the apex court to supervise the CVC inquiry was also present, officials said.

Verma came to the CVC office early Friday morning and stayed there for about an hour, they said.

He did not give any comment to the media waiting outside the CVC’s office.

The Supreme Court had on October 26 asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into the allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana.

The two weeks time limit ends on Sunday and the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday.

Feuding officers Verma and Asthana have been sent on leave by the government.

Besides Verma, Asthana also had on Thursday met the CVC.

He is understood to have given documentary evidence in support of his charges levelled against Verma, the officials said.