Central Bureau of Investigation interim director M Nageswara Rao on Friday reversed all the transfers ordered by former head Alok Verma who was shunted out of the probe agency on Thursday, ANI reported.

All transfer orders signed by Verma on January 9 and January 10 have been nullified.

The Supreme Court had reinstated Verma as the agency’s chief on January 8, months after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance divested him of his responsibilities. On January 10, the second day of his reinstatement, Verma issued an order to transfer six officials. The previous day, he had revoked most transfer orders issued by Rao between October 24 and January 8.

Advertisement

Verma was removed after a meeting of the high-power selection committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision to remove him was made after both Modi and Supreme Court’s Justice AK Sikri voted in favour and said his continuance as director would be detrimental to the CBI’s institutional integrity. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the removal and gave a dissent note.

Verma has been posted as director general of Fire Services, Civil Defence, and Home Guards. He was set to retire from the CBI on January 31.