Interim chief Nageshwar Rao cancels Alok Verma's orders nixing transfer of loyalists

A day after Alok Verma's removal, CBI's 'caretaker' chief M Nageswara Rao cancelled all transfers the former had speedily effected immediately after his reinstatement by the Supreme Court. The fresh order issued by Rao on Friday declared all orders issued by Verma "non est".

"Consequently, all actions in pursuance thereof by all concerned are also hereby declared null and void," the order said, completing the yo-yo pattern that started when Verma's loyalists were shunted out after their 'mentor' was benched.

Verma, after being reinstated by the SC on January 8, had undone all the transfers effected by Rao on October 24 last year. Verma had also appointed a new investigation officer to probe the corruption case against special director Rakesh Asthana. In all, Verma had shuffled 16 officers in two days. Officials said any work done by the officers shuffled by

Verma in these two days was also nullified by Rao's order. The high-powered panel comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CJI Ranjan Gogoi's nominee Justice A K Sikri and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had transferred Verma out of the CBI in a split verdict on Thursday.