New Delhi, Jan 8:
CBI Director has to be a “role model of independence and integrity” and that can only be ensured by freedom from all kinds of control and interference, the Supreme Court said Tuesday. The top court, which paved the way for comeback of Alok Kumar Verma as CBI Director by setting aside orders of the CVC and the Centre divesting him of his duties and sending him on leave, observed that the legislative intent is to ensure “complete insulation” of the office of CBI chief from all kind of “extraneous influences”. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said the long history of evolution has shown that institution of CBI has been perceived to be necessarily kept away from all kinds of extraneous influences so that it could perform its role as the premier investigating and prosecuting agency without any fear and favour and in the best public interest. “The head of the institution, namely, the Director, naturally, therefore, has to be the role model of independence and integrity which can only be ensured by freedom from all kinds of control and interference except to the extent that Parliament may have intended,” said the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph. It referred to section 4B (2) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, which said that CBI Director shall not be transferred except with the previous consent of the selection committee. The high-powered committee, which selects the CBI chief, comprises of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition or the leader of the single largest opposition party.
