The Supreme Court today, hearing the petition of exiled CBI chief Alok Verma, said an inquiry against Mr Verma has to be completed in two weeks. The Central Vigilance Commission or CVC will continue to probe the allegations against Mr Verma. However, the probe shall be headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice AK Patnaik.
The hearing by the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also said interim CBI chief M Nageswar Rao cannot take any policy decisions.
He will serve only as the CBI's administrative head Chief Justice Gogoi said, adding that all decisions he has taken since being handed charge of the premier investigating agency, must be submitted to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court will hear the case next after Diwali, on November 12.
The court was hearing Mr Verma's petition against the government for stripping him of his powers and sending him on forced leave. Mr Verma took the government to court after he was replaced by an interim chief in a dramatic post-midnight order on Tuesday.
Here are the LIVE updates on the Supreme Court hearing today over Alok Verma's petition:
Congress president Rahul Gandhi along with senior leaders of other opposition parties today turned up outside the CBI headquarters in Delhi in a massive show of force against what they said was the government's attempt to interfere in the probe agency's functioning. The government has sent the CBI chief Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana on forced leave after both accused each other of taking bribe from the same businessman.
The party is also demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly destroying the image of the investigative agency, according to ANI.
The Congress has termed the Centre's move to send Verma on leave as a disgraceful attempt to prevent an investigation into the alleged Rafale scam.
"What the Supreme Court has done today, is that it has further strengthened the process, and made it time bound," he said.
"The Supreme Court decision for an early outcome and being overseen by a supreme court judge, is a great move to ensure that the highest standards are maintained and a fair and impartial probe is carried out. The move is highly welcomed by the government," he added.
An inquiry against exiled CBI chief Alok Verma must be completed in two weeks and M Nageswar Rao, the man who has been given temporary charge of his role, cannot take any policy decisions, the Supreme Court ruled today.
Exiled CBI chief Alok Verma's case against the government for stripping him of his powers and sending him on forced leave will be taken up by the Supreme Court today. Mr Verma took the government to court after he was replaced by an interim chief in a dramatic post-midnight order on Tuesday.
Stepping up its attack over the midnight removal of CBI Director Alok Verma, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he would lead a protest outside agency's headquarters in the national capital today.
Alok Verma will remain CBI Director and his deputy Rakesh Asthana will remain Special Director, the investigating agency's spokesperson said a day after both were sent on forced leave as a coda to their fierce wrangling.
The centre is likely to argue that recent events have degraded the premier investigating agency and the government acted on the advice of the CVC. It may say that institutional integrity is important than any individual.
The Central Bureau of Investigation chief Alok Verma's petition, challenging the government's decision to strip him of his powers, will be heard by the Supreme Court today. In his petition, Mr Verma, who took the government to court after its midnight action of Tuesday, said the autonomy of the country's premier investigating agency is being compromised as certain investigations into high functionaries "do not take the direction desirable to the government".