Govt feels CVC should quit on his own

Law Minister M Veerappa Moily met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today hours after the Supreme Court was told by Attorney General G E Vahanvati that the Committee which selected Thomas was not aware of charges against him in the two-decade-old Palmolein oil import case.

Later Vahanvati clarified that, "It was never stated by me that this matter pertaining to Palmolein Oil case was not discussed by the members of the committee (headed by the Prime Minister)."

Officials said the meeting between Moily and the Prime Minister did not relate to the issue of CVC.
Highly placed sources in the government said that given the turn of events and controversies surrounding Thomas, it would be better if he voluntarily stepped down from his office, to which he was appointed on September 7 last year, to avoid a situation in which the apex court might pass strictures or even strike down his appointment.

The other course, the sources said, would be to initiate the process of his removal through Presidential reference.

The government came under sharp attack from the Opposition after the AG's statement before the Supreme Court.