New Delhi: The BJP government does not believe in letting things go. So, the Home Ministry has decided to take action against former CBI boss Alok Verma for not taking charge as Director General, Fire Services — the post to which he was assigned after he was sacked as the chief of CBI earlier this month.
All retirement benefits of Verma will be put on hold and disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against him for not joining the new posting, a senior official in the ministry told NDTV. Interestingly, Verma was supposed to retire from service on Thursday. So, the government was essentially asking him to re-join work for a day! The former CBI chief however chose not to pay heed and did not show up at work.
A senior minister even went to the extent of saying that Verma’s resignation will not be accepted till the investigation against him is completed. According to sources, his conduct is being deemed as a breach of service rules and may entail loss of pensionary benefits.
He may also be served with a “show cause” for not complying with the MHA order to join as DG, Fire Services. A senior officer at MHA was cited by India Today.com as saying, “There is no procedure called ‘deemed to be relieved’. Procedure in service rules has to be followed. Either Verma should have applied for leave or taken voluntary retirement.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at the Narendra Modi government saying, “If he was specifically appointed for CBI, how can he do another job? Government has messed up, so now it is up to all this by asking him [Verma] to continue as DG of Fire Services.” Born on July 31, 1957, he had attained the age of retirement on July 31, 2017; his appointment as CBI chief had resulted in extension of his tenure.
