The CVC is conducting inquiry into the allegations against CBI director (on leave) Alok Verma.

The Supreme Court recently ordered the CVC to complete its inquiry into Verma in two weeks and said the latter’s interim replacement M Nageswara Rao wouldn't be able to take any major decisions.

The next hearing is on November 12. The Central government had sent Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana, who have accused each other of corruption, on leave pending an inquiry, putting Rao in charge.

The court said the probe into the allegations against Verma made in an August 24 note by the cabinet secretary will be monitored by former top court judge AK Patnaik.

Verma had moved the court against the decision asking him to go on leave without the consent of three-committee, arguing that the case against him was mala fide.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court Monday ordered the CBI to maintain status quo till November 1 on proceedings against its special director Rakesh Asthana. A bench of justice Najmi Waziri questioned the CBI for not filing reply to pleas of Asthana and another official Devender Kumar, deputy superintendent of police, seeking quashing of FIR lodged against them. The high court, in last hearing on October 23, had asked CBI to file its response by today.

When CBI’s special rosecutor K Raghavacharyulu prayed for a “little” more time to file its reply, the court asked as to why it has not been done yet. “You took three days time the other day (October 23). This court was taking up the matter the next date itself. What do you mean by little more time, please explain,” the judge said. The high court directed the CBI to file reply on the pleas of Asthana and Kumar on or before October 31 and listed the matter for hearing on November 1. The CBI prosecutor told the high court that delay in filing of reply occurred as the case files have been sent to the CVC. The court was hearing three separate pleas of Asthana, Kumar and a middleman Manoj Prasad, seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against them by the CBI on bribery allegations.