DNA Edit: Publicity stunts – Verma and Sinha’s reckless leaks

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi’s fury and frustration in CBI director Alok Verma’s case is understandable. The leak in the Wire news website of Verma’s responses to the Central Vigilance Commission undermined the proceedings in the apex court, especially when the top judiciary was trying its best to maintain the sanctity of the CBI. It is evident that the information was leaked deliberately to gain public sympathy. Though the Wire story came out on November 17 and Verma’s report was furnished to the court in a sealed cover on November 19, the CBI chief was too impatient to wait for the court’s verdict. CJI Gogoi’s scathing indignation on Tuesday doesn’t leave much to imagination. The apex court was equally miffed at CBI DIG Manish Sinha’s conduct. The CJI had expected that the “highest degree of confidentiality be maintained” but the “litigant (Sinha) gave it all way”. 

Both Verma and Sinha made a mockery of the ongoing case and tried to use the platform of the apex court to corner public sympathy in their favour. It was “a mess” that the CJI wanted cleared as fast as possible. Sinha has used this opportunity to drag the names of powerful people into the mess and create a sensation of sorts, which had infuriated Gogoi. One is inclined to believe that Sinha knew what he was doing when he realised that the SC was not entertaining his petition alongside Verma’s. The former wanted 15 minutes of fame or, worse still, drag the institution of CBI further into the muck. Both Verma and Sinha have failed to realise that an institution is much bigger than personal glory or revenge. By lobbing the ball into the court of public opinion, they tried to influence the course of justice.