In what could spell a serious trouble for the controversial CBI DIG Sanjiv Gautam, the DoPT has said it did not have records of mandatory CVC approval for the posting of the officer to the CBI from Indian Revenue Service.
Activist Vineet Narain's 'Kalchakra' publication sought the details of Gautam's posting in the CBI after the officer came into controversy following his handling of Corporate Affairs Ministry officer BK Bansal, who committed suicide after being arrested in graft charges. In his suicide note, Bansal accused Gautam of torturing him and his family members
"The information asked for is not available in the records of this Section," said the DoPT directing the application to the CBI to provide, if they have such papers on CVC approval on Gautam's appointment in the organisation.
The DoPT also directed CBI to provide details, if any, to the petitioner Rajneesh Kapur, Managing Editor of Kalchakra directly.
Gautam is a 1995 batch IRS Officer (Custom & Central Excise) who was Private Secretary of Jitendra Singh, Minister of State Home and Defence in UPA-2. After the lok Sabha election results, Gautam applied to the CBI on May 21, 2014, and the then Director Ranjit Sinha approved his posting on May 27.
Gautam’s first posted in the CBI's Chandigarh unit. In August 2015, he was transferred as the DIG in CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch in Delhi. .
As per Supreme Court's judgment in Vineet Narain case, all posts from SP level onward in the CBI and the ED should be approved by Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). The approval committee of the CVC consists of Home Secretary, DoPT Secretary and Revenue Secretary. Two years ago, Supreme Court had quashed Archana Ramasundaram's appointment in the CBI as Additional Director on Narain's petition for want of the mandatory CVC approval. Vineet Narain is expected to take up Gautam's "Illegal" appointment with Supreme Court.