Former interim director of the Central Bureau of Investigation M Nageswara Rao on Monday apologised to the Supreme Court for transferring an official, AK Sharma, without the permission of the court. Sharma was investigating the Muzaffarpur shelter home rapes.

Rao is due in court on Tuesday, reportedly in connection with contempt charges against him, according to Times Now.

“I sincerely realise my mistake and while tendering my unqualified and unconditional apology, I specially state I have not wilfully violated the order of this court as I cannot even dream of violating or circumventing order of this court,” Rao’s affidavit reads, according to NDTV. “I shouldn’t have transferred AK Sharma without Supreme Court’s nod.”

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Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi at the last hearing had asked Rao how he could transfer officers when the court had said certain officers could not be shifted to new posts. In October, the court had barred Rao from taking policy decisions and had instructed the agency to submit a list of all decisions he had taken since being appointed on October 23.

Rao’s appointment as interim chief has been challenged by multiple people and transfer orders that he made have also been challenged in the court. A senior CBI official on January 29 had accused Rao of acting out of “malice and prejudice” when transferring him. TR Balaji had alleged that he was transferred because he had complained about Rao’s misconduct to former CBI Director Alok Verma. Balaji questioned the “mass transfers” effected by Rao, who had reversed all the transfers ordered by Verma.

Other transferred officials included AK Bassi, Deputy Inspectors General MK Sinha, Anish Prasad, KR Chaurasia, Tarun Gauba and Additional Superintendent of Police SS Gurm. Bassi, who has also moved court against the transfers, was investigating Verma’s deputy Rakesh Asthana, who the agency had accused of corruption. The Centre had relieved Asthana too of his duties on October 23.