SC to first examine if Govt can pass orders against CBI chief

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would first consider whether the government has the power to divest the CBI director of his duties under whatever circumstances or whether the selection committee headed by the prime minister must be approached before moving against Alok Verma on corruption allegations involving him.

The court took this stand after making it clear that for now, it was not going into the allegations and counter-allegations involving Verma and CBI's No.2 officer and Special Director R K Asthana both of whom have been stripped of their powers and sent on forced leave following their bitter feud. Verma's two-year tenure ends on January 31 next.

The top court also clarified it had not taken judicial note of Verma's reply given to the court in a sealed cover on the probe findings of the CVC.