The Supreme Court Friday commenced hearing on the petition filed by CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma challenging the decision of the Centre to divest him of his duties and sending him on leave.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph is hearing the plea.
Senior advocate F S Nariman is advancing arguments on behalf of the CBI chief.
The counsel submitted that the CBI Director was appointed with the approval of a selection panel having the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.
Nariman referred to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Centre's orders divesting Verma of his duty. He also cited the Vineet Narain judgment to support Verma's pleas.
Verma has also sought stay of the Centre's order asking him to proceed on leave and giving the interim charge of his post to Joint Director M Nageswara Rao, a 1986 batch Odisha-cadre IPS officer.