New Delhi, January 11: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi led selection panel removed him from the post of CBI director, Alok Verma said attempts were being made to destroy the country's premier investigation agency. Breaking his silence over his ongoing tussle with the Modi government, Alok Verma said he was transferred on the basis of "false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations" made by only one person who was inimical to him.

A day after he resumed duty as CBI director, the high-powered committee headed by PM Modi removed Verma from the post on Thursday on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty. While PM Modi and Justice A K Sikri, appointed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as his nominee, reportedly favoured his transfer, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who was also part of the panel, protested against the move. 'PM Narendra Modi is Prisoner of His Own Lies', Tweets Rahul Gandhi After Removal of CBI Chief Alok Verma.

In a statement to PTI, Verma said the CBI is an institution whose independence should be preserved and protected. "It must function without external influences. I have tried to uphold the integrity of the institution while attempts were being made to destroy it. The same can be seen from the orders of the central government and the CVC dated October 23, 2018, which were without jurisdiction and were set aside," he said. Alok Verma Removed as CBI Director: Know What Happened at PM Narendra Modi-Led Selection Committee’s Meeting.

Verma termed it "sad" that he was transferred to another post pursuant to the orders of the committee on the basis of "false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations made by only one person, who was inimical to him". The 1979-batch IPS officer has been posted as the Director General Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, under the Union Home Ministry. Verma said the committee was assigned the task of deciding his future course of action as the director of the CBI.

"I have stood up for the integrity of the institution, and if asked will do it again in order to uphold the rule of law," he said. Verma's two-year tenure as director of Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) was due to end on January 31.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2019 09:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).