NEW DELHI, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- A high-powered selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday removed Alok Verma as chief of country's premier investigating agency - Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), officials said.

The three-member panel removed Verma barely after 48 hours with 2:1 decision. The panel comprised of Modi, Justice AK Sikri, who represented Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi as he had recused himself from the panel, and opposition Congress party leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Modi and Justice Sikri favored Verma's removal, while as Congress leader Kharge put up a dissenting note.

"Alok Kumar Verma is transferred from the post of Director CBI and posted as Director General, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards for the residual period of his present term ending on Jan. 31," a government spokesman said.

"As per the earlier arrangement M Nageshwar Rao, Additional Director, CBI will look after the duties of the Director CBI till the appointment of a new Director CBI or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

On Tuesday India's Supreme Court reinstated Verma as the CBI director and cancelled federal government's order to divest him as the chief of the agency. However, the court had asked the panel to decide on Verma's status.

In October last year, the government through a midnight order removed Verma and installed M Nageshwar Rao as agency's interim chief.

The government's order came in the middle of a bitter feud within the organisation between the CBI's top two officers - Verma and his deputy special director Rakesh Asthana over bribery allegations against the latter.

Both the senior most officers were then sent on leave. Enditem

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