Asthana was sent on a forced leave after the CBI registered a case of corruption against him. His plea to quash the FIR was rejected by the Delhi high court.
The government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have dismissed the Pegasus Project reports as concocted and evidence-less.
In his petition, Kharge, who is the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said only the three-member committee of leader of opposition, prime minister and the Chief Justice of India can take a decision on the appointment or removal of the CBI director as per the act.
'Work will now be basically file movements from one desk to another as both the government and the agency would not like to antagonise the court.'
The last meeting of the panel took place on January 24 but it remained "inconclusive".
A fresh political war of words erupted on Tuesday over the Rafale issue as the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress leadership of corruption citing claims of a French media report on 'commissions' being paid during the United Progressive Alliance rule and said the Indian National Congress should be renamed 'I Need Commission' party.
'He is not a person to challenge the government.' 'He is a man who is known to go with the flow' Aditi Phadnis reports.
Addressing a press conference in the nation's capital, he claimed that Verma's removal was an "insult" to the Constitution, the chief justice of India and the leader of the opposition.
The tenures of three more officers -- Joint Director Arun Kumar Sharma, Deputy Inspector General Manish Kumar Sinha and Superintendent of Police Jayant J Naiknavare -- have also been curtailed, it said.
A similar protest was organised by farmers on the Lucknow-Sitapur Highway.
Attorney General K K Venugopal told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that the fight between the two officers impacted the image of the CBI.
The Central Vigilance Commission on Tuesday examined some Central Bureau of Investigation official.
The meeting was being attended by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, they said.
An official order said that Rao, a 1986-batch Indian Police Service officer from Odisha cadre, has been appointed Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard by 'temporarily downgrading the post' to the level of additional director general.
Manish Kumar Sinha has also alleged that the complainant in the case, businessman Sana Sathish Babu, had told him that Union minister Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhari had been paid bribes to the tune of several crores of rupees for alleged help in matters related to CBI.
Around 10 pm, teams of about 15-16 officers entered the compound of the headquarters and history was made.
The Congress' protests in the national capital were replicated in other parts of the country.
Besides, it said, since the regular director has been appointed the main prayer of the petitioner NGO Common Cause stands satisfied.
"It is only for you Mr Nariman and not as a counsel for Alok Verma. We have given this to you as you are one of the most respected and senior member of the institution. Please help us," the bench also comprising justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, told Nariman.
A new batch of 30 dogs, all specially trained Labrador retrievers, were inducted into the Delhi Police on Monday
The top court said former Supreme Court judge A K Patnaik will oversee the CVC inquiry.
Since the CJI was a part of the bench and author of the Tuesday's verdict which reinstated Verma as the CBI Director, he opted himself out of the panel's meeting which was ordered to be convened within a week.
The women's body has asked the top cop to render an explanation within three days about reasons for the use of force on protesting students.
A controversy broke out on Sunday over Justice Sikri getting a government offer last year for a post-retirement assignment at the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT), three days after his vote, as a representative of CJI Ranjan Gogoi on the panel, helped decide the removal of Verma as CBI director.
Verma is understood to have given point-wise refusal to all the allegations levelled by Asthana before the panel comprising Vigilance Commissioners T M Bhasin and Sharad Kumar, they said.
Kharge was part of a three-member panel headed by Modi that had selected Verma last year to head the CBI.
Senior IPS officers Javeed Ahmed, Rajni Kant Misra, S S Deswal and Shivanand Jha are said to be among the front-runners for the coveted post.
Prime Minister Modi has entrusted Amit Shah with the task of coordinating all the agencies with their power to monitor movement and phone calls, says R Rajagopalan.
The judge said that permission for prior sanction to prosecute Asthana was not required considering the facts of the case.
He claimed the NDA government bought the planes at Rs 1,600 crore a piece as against the Rs 526 crore for each aircraft fixed by the UPA.
The Congress president alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party deceived people and siphoned off hard-earned money of farmers, poor, small businessmen to fill the pockets of the country's 15-20 big industrialists.
Delhi's power circles can expect a surprise when a not-so-known officer is appointed to head the CBI.
He did not give any specific reason for withdrawing from hearing the case.
The businessman has been charged of abetment leading to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
An unprecedented decision to form a ministerial-level committee was driven by fears of witch-hunt by investigating agencies.
This whirlwind of activity only confirms that rushing around creating an impression of pompous busy-ness is not the same thing as solving problems, argues Mitali Saran.
'I was at a very senior position in the CBI and what happens is, hints are dropped for you to act upon. But then it depends upon your conscience, to do it or otherwise.' 'I know the rank and file of the CBI, they will bounce back; it is the leadership which has failed.'
The unity by the opposition parties is likely to reflect inside Parliament as well.
'Rafale is an open and shut case and there is only one man who has done corruption'
After taking over on Tuesday night, Rao overhauled the team probing allegations of corruption against Asthana, bringing in completely new faces, officials said.
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