Congress opposes govt’s push for Alok Verma, cites ‘inexperience’ in CBI

Read | 1979-82 batch IPS officers in race for CBI top job

In what could trigger another confrontation between the government and the Opposition, Kharge is learnt to have differed with the government’s move to push Verma’s candidature. Sources said Kharge contended that Verma has no experience of having served in the CBI, and cannot be appointed as its chief since that would be in violation of Supreme Court guidelines.

WATCH VIDEO | Congress Objects Appointment Of Alok Verma As New CBI Director

Verma has worked only with the Vigilance Bureau.

The two other top contenders for the post are said to be senior Union Home Ministry official Rupak Kumar Dutta and Maharashtra Director General of Police Satish Mathur.

Verma is a 1979 batch officer, while Dutta and Mathur are from the 1981 batch.

Sources in the Congress said the apex court’s guidelines – based on two judgments, one of them by a bench headed by Justice J S Verma — make it clear that officers are to be empanelled on the basis of experience in CBI, integrity and seniority.

Sources in the government, however, said Verma ranks among the top in seniority and merit, and that there are no questions on his integrity. His appointment, they said, is most likely. But the Congress is learnt to have contended that Verma had not served in the CBI and cited the past Supreme Court judgments.

Top Congress sources said Kharge could record his dissent in the event of Verma’s appointment. Congress leaders said the party expects that the criteria laid down by the two Supreme Court judgments, respected by all previous governments, will be honoured without any departure or dilution this time, too.

The Congress said an officer with no experience in the CBI cannot be appointed overlooking one — Dutta — who has spent more than 17 years in the agency.

Dutta, who has served as the CBI special director, was recently transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

A Maharashtra-cadre IPS officer, Mathur earlier served in the CBI and supervised the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts probe.

Verma’s batchmate and ITBP Director-General Krishna Chaudhary was also said to be in the running for the post. The list of probables put before the panel includes two women IPS officers: Archana Ramasundaram — the first woman IPS officer to head a paramilitary organisation, the Sashastra Seema Bal — and Meeran Borwankar, Director-General, Bureau of Police Research and Development.