New Delhi: The government on Tuesday described its action to send the CBI’s two senior officers — director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana — on leave as “perfectly bonafide” and said it was the CVC’s recommendation and the move was to protect the integrity of the investigating agency. The government said that it would comply with the Supreme Court’s order after the apex court reinstated the CBI director.
“The government took this decision to protect the integrity of the CBI... Government took the action of sending two senior officers of CBI on leave on CVC’s recommendation,” said Mr Jaitley adding that the government’s decision was completely legal as the two officers in question were at loggerheads.
“This action taken was perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers, and in accordance with recommendations of the CVC. The government felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the two officers mu-st recuse themselves,” th-e finance minister said.
“The government had accepted the CVC recommendations with full honesty and today a reinterpretation on the matter has been givenand we will take action accordingly,” he said, adding that the CVC was an independent body and submitted its recommendations to the SC. — PTI
