Alok Verma
Alok Kumar Verma | |
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Director General of Central Bureau of Investigation | |
In office 1 February 2017 – 10 January 2019 | |
Preceded by | Rakesh Asthana (acting) |
Succeeded by | M. Nageswara Rao (interim) |
Personal details | |
Born | New Delhi, India | 14 July 1957
Education | M.A. (History) |
Alma mater | St. Xavier's School, Delhi St. Stephen's College |
Police career | |
Country | India |
Batch | 1990 |
Cadre | Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) |
Alok Kumar Verma (born 14 July 1957) is a former director of the Central Bureau of Investigation in India, who also served as Commissioner of Delhi Police and Director General of Tihar Jail.[1] A 1979 batch IPS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories cadre, Verma has over 39 years of experience in the Indian Police Service (IPS).[2][3][4]
Alok Kumar Verma was the 27th Director of the CBI, the highest executive position in the premier federal agency[5] a position which he held until removed from his post by a majority of the High Powered Committee (consisting of the PM, a CJI appointee and the Opposition Leader). Verma's removal caused controversy in India and was questioned by legal experts and opposition leaders because of the absence of any evidence to prove allegations of corruption that had been levelled against him. Even Honorable Retired Justice A.K. Patnaik, who was appointed by the Court to monitor the enquiry being conducted by the CVC, termed the decision of the committee as very hasty and indicated that there was no evidence of corruption against Alok Kumar Verma.[6]
Biography
[edit]Alok Kumar Verma attended St. Xavier's School, Delhi.[7] He completed his post graduate education in History at St. Stephen's College, Delhi.[8]
Having joined the Indian Police Service in 1979 at the age of 22, Verma was assigned to the AGMU Cadre. He was the youngest officer in his batch. Before assuming the office of Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Alok Kumar Verma headed several organisations. He was Director General of Prisons, Delhi; Director General of Police (DGP) in Mizoram; DGP in Puducherry and Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Andaman & Nicobar Islands. During his service, Verma held several important positions. He served in Delhi as Special Commissioner of Police for Crime, Vigilance and Intelligence respectively, also as Joint Commissioner of the Crime branch; Joint Commissioner of Police, New Delhi Range and Deputy Commissioner, South District.[9] His second-last posting was as the CBI head, his 24th posting as a police officer, following which Verma was transferred to the position of Director General of Fire Safety, Civil Defence and Home Guards but he refused the post.
Along with Rakesh Asthana, Special Director CBI, Verma was entangled in a corruption controversy: both accused each other of bribery and on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission, both were subsequently asked by the government to go on leave.[10] Munsif, the Urdu broadsheet, on October 26 writes of the CBI affair as being one where “matters are not as simple as it seem”.[11] Consequently, Verma went to the Supreme Court of India and Asthana to Delhi High Court, both of them appealing the recommendation. The Supreme Court canceled the decision to send Verma on leave and Verma was reinstated as CBI director two months later with the instruction that he not take any major decisions until the selection committee decided his fate over the corruption charges. After one day, the selection committee agreed that Verma be transferred to the position of Director General of Fire Safety, Civil Defence and Home Guard.[12] The decision of the committee was based on a CVC report submitted to the SC in sealed covers. The CVC had been instructed by the SC to complete its investigation within two weeks under the direct supervision of former retired SC judge Justice A.K. Patnaik. The CVC concluded the inquiry with a written report on the charges levelled against Verma. Later, Justice Patnaik said, “There was no evidence against Verma regarding corruption. The entire inquiry was held on Asthana’s complaint. I have said in my report that none of the findings in the CVC’s report are mine.”[13][14] Justice Patnaik also said, "The CVC report along with annexures ran to more than 1,000 pages. I am surprised the selection committee members could go through all the 1,000 pages in such a short period of time, appreciate the evidence and take the decision that Verma should be shunted out from the CBI Director’s post. It would have been better had the selection committee taken a little more time to appreciate the evidence and taken an informed decision.”[15]
In a subsequent press release Verma said that he was trying to "uphold CBI's integrity"[16] but was removed as a result of a baseless allegation by one person (Asthana) who was inimical to him.[17] In his letter to the DoPT, Verma said that he did not get an opportunity to present his case and wrote that "Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director CBI."[18] The Former Chief Justice of India, Justice T.S. Thakur, also articulated his opinion in detail on the removal of CBI Director Alok Verma stating that "if the selection committee that removed Alok Verma as CBI director did not give him adequate opportunity to present his point of view, it amounts to a violation of the principles of natural justice.”[19]
The entire controversy of Verma's removal has questioned the independence of the CBI as a premier investigating agency in the country. Former Chief Justice of India, R.M. Lodha who coined the phrase "caged parrot" for the Central Bureau of Investigation's plight as a prisoner of government's demands also commented on how its independence needed to be preserved.[20]
Dates of rank in IPS
[edit]Assistant Commissioner of Police, Delhi – 1979
Additional Superintendent of Police (HQ), Aizawl, Mizoram – 1983
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi Armed Police – 1985
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Delhi – 1987
Superintendent of Police, Upper Subansiri District, Arunachal Pradesh – 1988
Superintendent of Police, South Goa – 1990
Superintendent of Police, South Goa – 1991
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi North – 1992
Joint Commissioner of Police (HQ), Delhi - 1993
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Central Vigilance – Intelligence - 1994
Joint Commissioner of Police (Range), Delhi - 1996
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mizoram Range – 1998
Inspector General of Police, Andaman & Nicobar Islands – 2001
Addl. Commissioner of Police, Delhi – 2004
Special Commissioner of Police (North), Railway Protection Force – 2007
Director General of Police, Pondicherry – 2008
Special Commissioner of Police, Intelligence, Delhi – 2012
Director General of Police, Mizoram – 2012
Director General of Police, Tihar Jail – 2014
Commissioner of Police, Delhi – 2016
Director, Central Bureau of Investigation – 2017
Director, Central Bureau of Investigation – 2019
Awards
[edit]Alok Kumar Verma was decorated with the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2003 and Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 1997.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ "All you need to know about the new CBI Director Alok Verma". India Today. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Delhi police commissioner Alok Kumar Verma appointed new CBI director - Firstpost". www.firstpost.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Who is Alok Verma - Meet Delhi's next police commissioner; 5 things to know". Zee News. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ "Alok Verma Takes Charge As Delhi's New Police Commissioner". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ "Central Bureau of Investigation". cbi.nic.in. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "No evidence of corruption, decision of PM led panel hasty".
- ^ "St. Xavier's Sr. Sec. School, Delhi". www.stxaviersdelhi.com. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Alumni of St.Stephen's College".
- ^ "Previous posting" (PDF). Delhi Police. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ "In midnight move, govt divests Alok Verma of charge as CBI Director". The Indian Express. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "The Urdu Press: Ayodhya truths". Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "How Alok Verma was removed as CBI Director". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "No evidence of corruption, decision of PM-led panel on Alok Verma very hasty: SC's monitor". www.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "No solid graft proof against Alok Verma: Justice Patnaik". www.timesofindia.com. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
- ^ "No solid graft proof against Alok Verma: Justice Patnaik". The Times of India. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "Tried to uphold the integrity of the institution:Alok Verma". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Inside story of what happened in the selection committee which shunted Alok Verma". India Today.
- ^ "Alok Verma refuses to join new posting, tells Govt to consider him retired". Indian Express.
- ^ "If Verma wasn't heard out, it violated principles of natural justice: Former CJI Thakur". The Telegraph.
- ^ "Parrot can't fly free till set free: ex-CJI Lodha who coined 'caged parrot' for CBI". Indian Express.
- ^ "Awards & Medals | cmsmha.nic.in". mha.nic.in. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.