New Delhi: CBI Additional Director M Nageswara Rao on Monday apologised to the Supreme Court for the transfer of an officer supervising the case involving the sexual abuse of children
at Bihar’s government-run shelter homes. The “unconditional apology” comes a day before Rao’s is to appear in the top court for the officer’s removal, despite directions to the contrary.
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the CBI’s former interim chief said he accepts his mistake of not seeking permission before transferring the officer probing the Muzaffarpur shelter
homes case.
“I shouldn’t have transferred AK Sharma without Supreme Court’s nod,” Rao’s affidavit reads. The affidavit will be examined by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The top court had last Thursday held Rao in contempt for moving out Sharma as part of the overnight mass transfer that followed the public feud between the CBI’s former chief Alok
Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana.
“You have played with our orders. God help you,” Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had told Rao during the last hearing.
Finding out that Sharma, the CBI’s joint director in charge of the anti-corruption department, has been transferred, the Chief Justice had said, “How can he be transferred by the Centre
when the Supreme Court said he must not be shifted?”
The agency was asked to inform the court in writing whether the panel which transfers officers, was aware of the “embargo” by 2 pm.
Later, the court said it appears that its order not to transfer Sharma was not passed onto the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Sharma was transferred along with five others,
who were investigating six cases against Rakesh Asthana, days after the two top bosses of the agency were sent on leave.
