On the last working day before the Central Vigilance Commission(CVC) submits its report on its probe against benched CBI Director Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana to the Supreme Court on Monday, the vigilance watchdog on Friday examined Verma for the third time this week in connection with the allegations levelled against him by Ashtana.
The legal department of the CVC will work on Saturday to prepare the draft report on the findings of the enquiry and send it for vetting by retired Supreme Court judge AK Pattnaik.
Sources said Verma submitted a couple of documents against Asthana following which he was confronted by the CVC as to why he did not submit an action taken report on the Secret Note against Asthana. Verma was examined by the Central Vigilance Commissioner KV Chowdary, Vigilannce Commissioners Sharad Kumar and Tejinder Mohan Bhasin. Verma was examined for nearly an hour on Friday, sources said.
Verma was also examined by Choudhary and Kumar on Thursday.
Bhasin was not present on Thursday, a reason why Verma was against called on Friday as had also some queries.
CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana was also questioned along with Joint Director of SIT, CBI Sai Manohar earlier this week.
During the examination, Verma is said to have denied the allegations levelled by Asthana.
Retired Supreme Court judge A K Patnaik who has been asked by the apex court to supervise the CVC inquiry was also present during Verma's examination, sources said.
Verma refused to give any comment to the mediapersons waiting outside the CVC's headquarters here.
The Supreme Court had on October 26 asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into the allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana.
The two-week time limit ends on Sunday and the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday.
Following public feud between Verma and Asthana, the Government had in a midnight order on October 23 sent both the top CBI officials on leave and divested their supervisory role in the agency.
During his examination, Asthana has furnished documentary evidence in support of his charges against Verma.
CBI personnel from the rank of inspector up to superintendent of police were called and their versions recorded before a senior CVC official. Officials examined included those who had handled the Moin Qureshi bribery case, IRCTC scam involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, and the cattle smuggling case in which a senior BSF officer was caught with wands of cash in Kerala in connection with a CBI case. The CVC has also examined the case files in which Verma is alleged to have meddled or taken bribe.