'No evidence of corruption against sacked CBI director Alok Verma,' says ex-Supreme Court judge who monitored probe

After the high powered committee sacked Alok Verma as CBI director and transferred him as DG Fire Services on the basis of CVC report, former Supreme Court judge A.K Patnaik has claimed that there were no evidence of graft against Verma.

Justice Patnaik, who was appointed by the Supreme Court to supervise the inquiry of the Central Vigilance Commission against Alok Verma, who was then sent on leave by the government, has said that he was responsible for only overlooking the inquiry and had no role in determining the evidences or agreeing with the CVC report.

Justice AK Patnaik has told The Indian Express that “There was no evidence against Verma regarding corruption. The entire enquiry was held on Asthana’s complaint. I have said in my report that none of the findings in the CVC’s report are mine.”

Justice Patnaik, while describing about the events which unfolded this week, said, “Even if the Supreme Court said that the high-power committee must decide, the decision was very, very hasty. We are dealing with an institution here. They should have applied their mind thoroughly, especially as a Supreme Court judge was there. What the CVC says cannot be the final word.”