Kharge gives dissent note on Verma ouster

New Delhi, January 10

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge today gave a dissent note during a meeting of the high-powered panel chaired by PM Narendra Modi against its decision to shunt out CBI Director Alok Verma and instead asked the panel to compensate him by granting him 77 more days in office as the agency’s chief.

According to sources, Kharge said during the meeting that Verma should not be penalised and be given an extension of 77 days for which he was not allowed to attend the office. This is the second time Kharge has objected to Verma’s removal. Incidentally, he had earlier objected to his appointment too.

Kharge told other panel members that in his opinion, Verma should be allowed to explain himself before the committee, along with the charges made against him, prior to any decision being taken.

“It would be grossly unfair not to restore Alok Verma to the full extent of the authority enjoyed by the office of the Director CBI and compensate him by extending his term appropriately to accommodate for the loss of 77 days caused by the illegal orders of the CVC and DoPT on October 23, 2018,” he said in his dissent note.