RR Verma likely to join Ishrat SIT

Rajiv Ranjan Verma, the 1978-batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, is likely to join as chairman of Ishrat SIT. While talking to DNA, he said that he is a government servant and if asked by the government to take charge of the SIT, he cannot refuse to join the team.

He, however, added that, so far, he had not received any intimation from the Union government or the Gujarat high court to take charge of the Ishrat SIT as its chairman. "If there is an official order, I will have to follow it," he said.

Talking to DNA over phone from Delhi, Verma said that it was not a question of his willingness or unwillingness to join Ishrat SIT. "If there is an order, I, being on duty, will have to follow it," he said.
Verma is currently posted as additional director general of police, Central Industrial Security Force. He joined at this post on July 1, 2011. He was transferred to CISF from the North-East Police Academy (NEPA).

Sources said that the lull in the investigation of the Ishrat case may end as he is perhaps the first officer willing to join the probe team as chairman.

Verma is the fourth chairman of Ishrat SIT. He has been appointed in place of JV Ramudu who expressed his unwillingness to join the probe team the day he was appointed chairman by the Gujarat high court.

Before Ramudu, Maharashtra cadre IPS officer Satyapal Singh had also expressed his reluctance to join the probe team. The first chairman of Ishrat SIT, the Delhi cadre IPS officer Karnal Singh, had withdrawn from the team as he was transferred to Mizoram.