CBI feud: SC fumes over leak; CJI says ‘none of you deserve a hearing’

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 20, abruptly adjourned a hearing on CBI director Alok Verma's petition, reportedly after the leak of a vigilance report on corruption allegations against the CBI chief and also Verma's reply. The documents were all submitted in a sealed cover. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi questioned how details were leaked. The case has been adjourned to November 29.

"None of you deserves a hearing," Chief Justice Gogoi said, deferring the case. Alok Verma has petitioned the top court against the government's decision to strip him of his powers and send him on compulsory leave.

In the last hearing on Friday, November 16, the top court said Mr Verma had not been given a clean chit in a vigilance report on corruption allegations against him. The report is "complimentary on some charges, not-so-complimentary on some charges and very uncomplimentary on some charges," the court had told the CBI chief, asking him to respond to the report in a sealed cover by Monday, November 19.

On the day, Verma submitted his response CBI DIG MK Sinha filed an application in the apex court and sought to expose a number of top officials of the Narendra Modi government, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Central Vigilance Commissioner KV Chaudhary, for their alleged intervention in the functioning of the CBI.

In his plea, CBI’s DIG MK Sinha has mentioned alleged instances of intervention by National Security Advisor, MoS for Coal and Mines Haribhai Chaudhary and Union Law Secretary Suresh Chandra.

Sinha’s lawyer said that there are some shocking details in the application. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi replied saying, “nothing shocks us.”

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