CJI recuses himself from hearing petition challenging Rao's appointment

CJI recuses himself from hearing petition challenging Rao's appointment

Guwahati: The Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has recused himself from hearing a petition challenging the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as the interim director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to him, the petition should be heard by a court number 2 presided by Justice A. K. Sikri.

Justice Gogoi said that he would be participating in a meeting of the selection panel to select the agency chief and seeks transparency in the process of short-listing, selection and appointment of the CBI director. The petition will now be heard on 24 January by another bench.

Earlier, a government order has been revoked by a bench led by the CJI sending then CBI chief on leave and restored him as the agency boss and asked the selection panel headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a call on the matter. The CJI, however, deputed justice Sikri in his place who was supposed to be a panel member as he had heard the case against him.

Meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress also the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha who was also a member of the panel had removed Verma as the chief within a few days of the verdict.

Nageswara Rao who was appointed as the interim chief of the premier investigation agency was reappointed as the interim chief of the same when Verma and his deputy were sent on leave.

Verma who was removed by the PM led panel refused to take up his next assignment and resigned from service complaining that he had not been given an opportunity to present his side and the Central Vigilance Commission.

The petition wants a full-time director appointed. It also seeks that the procedure laid down in Section 4A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, amended by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 should be followed for the appointment of the CBI director.

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