Top Court Sets 2-Week Deadline For Probe Against Exiled CBI Chief

Taking up Central Bureau of Investigation chief Alok Verma's case against the government for divesting him of his powers and sending him on forced leave, the Supreme Court today said a vigilance inquiry against him would be time-bound and monitored by an ex-judge. The supervision is a "one-time exception felt necessary in the peculiar facts of the case and should not be understood to be casting any reflection on any authority of the government," the court said. M Nageswar Rao, who was asked to stand in as interim CBI chief, cannot take any policy decision, said the judges. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi did not give any ruling on Mr Verma's deputy Rakesh Asthana, who has also challenged his forced leave.