RNI No.2016/1957, REGD NO. SSP/LW/NP-34/2016-18 Follow us on: @TheDailyPioneer facebook.com/dailypioneer instagram.com/dailypioneer/ Established 1864 OPINION 8 Published From WORLD 11 SPORT 15 DELHI LUCKNOW BHOPAL BACK TO THE KHASHOGGI MURDER UNTHINKABLE JUVENTUS BEAT MANCHESTER BHUBANESWAR RANCHI RAIPUR FUTURE IN CHINA? ‘WITHOUT US BACKING': ROUHANI UNITED 1-0 IN UCL CLASH CHANDIGARH DEHRADUN Late City Vol. 154 Issue 287 *Air Surcharge Extra if Applicable LUCKNOW, THURSDAY OCTOBER 25, 2018; PAGES 16 `3 AAMIR IS ALL PRAISE FOR } KATRINA KAIF} 14 VIVACITY www.dailypioneer.com Verma won’t grin & bear it, drags Govt to SC Centre divests CBI chief and Asthana of power, dispatches them on forced leave to contain slugfest ‘in the interest of Opp cries Rafale, shoots down justification PNS n NEW DELHI Says PM removed CBI Director to stop She said the Centre’s “vin- dictive, casteist and communal equality, fair play’; SC to hear Alok Verma’s plea on Friday he Opposition parties on him from investigating fighter jet deal policies” have put not only the TWednesday unleashed a CBI, but also other agencies RAKESH K SINGH n NEW DELHI sharp attack on the “The Prime Minister’s mes- Minister M Veerappa Moily under similar threat. Cases like Opening Government over the CBI mess sage is very clear that whoever said the removal of the CBI those involving Vijay Mallya, he Government may have can of with the Congress alleging that comes near Rafale (issue) will director was “illegal, unethical Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi Tsent the two top-ranking the CBI Director has been be removed, wiped out,” the and unconstitutional”. and the Rafale deal are blots on officers of the CBI on forced WORMS! divested of his power to pre- Congress chief charged. “The Congress leader Manish the BJP-led Government’s rule long leave to contain the empt a possible CBI investiga- country and the Constitution Tewari said according to the and they have not been probed internecine warfare within tion into the dubious Rafale are in danger,” he claimed. Lokpal Act and the Supreme properly, she said. However, she India’s premier investigating fighet jet deal, while West The Congress also alleged Court judgment in the Jain added, the BJP misuses official agency, but now it will have to Bengal Chief Minister Mamata the Modi Government and Hawala case, the CBI Director machinery to target anti-BJP battle it out with CBI Director Banerjee alleged the agency senior BJP leaders, scared over has a fixed tenure of two years. parties and institutions. Alok Verma in the Supreme has become the BJP’s the Rafale issue, have imple- BSP president Mayawati CPI’s national secretary D Court where more “skeletons” policing agency. mented the “Gujarat model” at blamed the Centre for the state Raja said there is also specula- could tumble out during hear- “The PM removed the CBI the Centre and in the CBI. of affairs in the CBI and said tion that the goings-on in the ing on Friday. Director to stop him from Senior lawyer and Congress other institutions are also fac- CBI have something to do with Not ready to go without a investigating Rafale. Mr 56 leader Abhishek Singhvi said ing similar problems because of the Rafale scam. He said, fight, hours within the - Officers entrusted by Alok Verma to probe corruption cases against broke the law when he the CVC has no power to inter- the wrong policies being pur- “What is happening in the Government issued the order Asthana have been transferred and fresh team constituted to probe bypassed CJI & LoP. Mr Modi, fere in removal, appointment or sued by the Government. CBI is like a coup that has to send him on long leave into charges against Asthana Rafale is a deadly aircraft with reappointment, and is a super- “More than the officials, it is the shocked the entire nation. The along with CBI Special Director a superb radar. You can run, visory body. Singhvi also alleged Central Government which is CBI’s credibility stands com- RK Asthana, Verma moved - Government termed the situation in the CBI as “extraordinary and but you can’t hide from it,” the Government violated the responsible for the problems in pletely destroyed. It is happen- the Supreme Court challenging unprecedented” Congress chief Rahul Gandhi CBI Act with its move to the CBI,” Mayawati said in a ing under the nose of the the unprecedented directive as - Defending the action against Verma and his Deputy Rakesh tweeted. remove Verma. Former Law statement. Prime Minister.” also the decision to appoint an Asthana, the Government said that the midnight order was interim chief in his place. necessary to maintain the “institutional integrity and credibility of Not only the CBI chief India’s investigation agency was sent on leave, but officers - Alok Verma has moved the SC citing Section 4B of the Delhi Special Jury is out on entrusted by him to probe cor- Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, saying it statutorily secures the Decision taken to maintain ruption cases against Asthana two-year period of the Director’s tenure also were transferred and fresh whether CVC team constituted to probe - For its part, the CVC cited the extra-ordinary and unprecedented charges against Asthana. circumstances to “exercise” its powers under Section 8 of the CVC CBI’s integrity, says Jaitley can send CBI Amid the allegations and Act, 2003 of superintendence over the functioning of DPSE (CBI) counter-allegations by Verma PNS n NEW DELHI Director Rakesh Asthana by the sure, both Alok Verma and and Asthana, the Government “The grave allegations of Government is based on the Rakesh Asthana will sit out by boss on leave termed the situation in the CBI corruption by senior func- inance Minister Arun Jailtey recommendations of Central going on leave. An SIT, not PNS n NEW DELHI as “extraordinary and unprece- tionaries of CBI one against Fon Wednesday dismissed as Vigilance Commission (CVC), functioning under either of dented,” and divested the duo another, which has been wide- “rubbish” allegations of maintaining that the step was these officers, will investigate the he Central Vigilance of the “functions, power, duty ly reported in media, has viti- Opposition parties, including absolutely essential to restore corruption charges against TCommission’s (CVC) rec- and supervisory role in respect ated the official ecosystem of the Congress, that CBI Director the agency’s institutional them. This is in accordance with ommendations to send CBI of cases already registered the organisation. The environ- Alok Verma was removed integrity and credibility. The highest standards of fairness,” Director Alok Verma on leave and/or required to be registered ment of factional feud has because he wanted to look CVC made its recommenda- the Finance Minister said. have led to a debate over and/or being enquired under reached its peak in the CBI into the Rafale fighter jet deal. tions on Tuesday evening, the “The Government passed whether the anti-corruption the provisions of Prevention of leading to a potential loss of Jaitley said Opposition’s Finance Minister said. the order as per the recom- ombudsman has the powers to Corruption Act, 1988, until fur- India’s investigation agency. which resulted in the divest- credibility and reputation of the charges indicate they had access Addressing a Press confer- mendations of the CVC. The do so, especially in the back- ther orders.” Wilful obstructions caused ment of powers of both the offi- premier investigating agency of to what was going in the mind ence, Jaitley said allegations CVC has all the material drop of the Supreme Court Defending the action by the CBI Director in the cers by the Government, the the Government. It also vitiat- of the officer concerned, an levelled by the top two CBI offi- that both officers have com- judgment stipulating a two-year against Verma and his Deputy functioning of the CVC, which Government said in a state- ed the working environment of apparent reference to Verma. cers against each other have cre- plained of,” Jaitley said. It is an fixed tenure for the CBI chief. Rakesh Asthana, the was looking into complaints of ment on Wednesday. the organisation which has “That itself demolishes the ated a bizarre and unfortunate extraordinary situation, Verma has petitioned the Government said that the mid- corruption against him, and a A Special Investigation deep and visible impact on the integrity of the person they are situation. “To maintain the and the accused cannot be apex court citing Section 4B of night order was necessary to “faction feud” with his deputy Team will look into the charges overall governance,” the trying to support,” he said. institutional integrity of the allowed to be in charge of the Delhi Special Police maintain the “institutional Rakesh Asthana has vitiated the and both officers will “sit out” Government said. Jaitley said the removal of CBI and in the interest of fair- investigation against them, the Establishment (DSPE) Act, say- integrity and credibility of environment in the agency during the probe period. Continued on Page 7 Alok Verma and Special ness, purely as an interim mea- Minister added. ing it statutorily secures the two- year period of the Director’s tenure notwithstanding any- The Government passed Mr 56 broke the law There are people who have Whatever has been done in the More than the thing to the contrary. the order as per the when he bypassed CJI run away from the country late night by the Government is officials, it is the He said the Centre and the recommendations of the & LOP.