Though admitting that CBI Director Alok Verma had raised objection, the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) KV Chowdary on Thursday said the Director was only a special invitee and the CVC selection panel’s decision was unanimous in recommending promotion of Rakesh Asthana as Special Director.
“There are some reports in the Press to the contrary. I do not want to join issue with them but I will only say that the process has been followed and the recommendations are unanimous,” he said to the questions regarding the CVC selection panel meeting on October 21.
Chowdary said the CBI Director is an invitee in the CVC selection committee meeting which was held on Saturday.
"The Committee discussed and the CBI Director who was to be consulted has been consulted.
He has given his frank and free views on all the categories of the appointments to be made," he told a press conference here.
Chowdary said Verma's views have been taken into account and unanimous recommendations have been made to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
"The selection committee has recommended the appointment as per the agenda. Whatever views he (CBI Director) has given whether you consider it as acceptance or dissent, they have been taken note of Whether his views were opposed or in favour for somebody that is not appropriate for me to comment on," he said, without detailing the dissent note given by the CBI Chief against Asthana's promotion as Special Director.
In his two page dissent note, Verma said Asthana's name was also found in a Dairy seized from Sterling Biotech and Sandesara Group of companies in 2011 during a raid of Income Tax department. CBI recently registered FIR against three Income Tax commissioners and the companies for the bribes involved as detailed in the Dairy.
CBI Director in his dissent note said as CBI is probing the case, Asthana's promotion as well as continuance in CBI is untenable. In 2011, Asthana was Police Commissioner in Surat.
The Dairy entries showed that monthly around Rs 40000 were given to Asthana from the companies, said the dissent note of the CBI Director.
The five-person committee comprises the Central Vigilance Commissioner as Chairperson, two vigilance commissioners and two secretaries of the Government of India — Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, and Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, as members.
Noted lawyer Prashant Bhusan said that he would question the promotion of Asthana in Supreme Court for violating CVC Act and various judgments on this regard.