New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday issued a notice to the Central government in the appointment of CBI's interim director case.
The Centre told the Supreme Court that it had sent letters to CJI TS Thakur and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge to convene meeting to appoint CBI director.
The petition, filed by the NGO, alleged that the Centre took a series of steps in a "completely mala fide, arbitrary and illegal manner to ensure that Mr Asthana was given the charge of CBI director".
It has claimed that the government did not convene a meeting of the selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the leader of the largest opposition party and the Chief Justice of India, even though it was fully aware that Anil Sinha was going to demit the office of CBI director on December 2.
Mr Asthana, an IPS officer of 1984-batch, was elevated as the Additional Director in the agency on December 2 when CBI Special Director RK Dutta, who was reportedly among the front-runners for the top post, was shifted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as a Special Secretary.
The PIL claimed that the government had "prematurely curtailed" the tenure and transferred Mr Dutta to Ministry of Home Affairs on November 30 -- just two days before Mr Sinha was slated to demit office.