New Delhi: Senior Supreme Court judge AK Sikri recused himself on Thursday from hearing a plea challenging the appointment of Nageswara Rao as the interim CBI director.

The plea was filed by NGO ‘Common Cause’, and the case will be heard by another bench on Friday.

Justice Sikri recused himself citing that he was a part of the committee which will decide on the next CBI director on January 24.

Also read: Modi govt fires Alok Verma as CBI director, Nageshwar Rao back as interim chief

As soon as the matter came up for hearing, Justice Sikri told senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for petitioner NGO Common Cause, that he would not like to hear the matter and was recusing himself.

"You understand my position. I can't hear this matter," Justice Sikri said.

Justice Sikri was part of the high powered panel which had removed CBI director Alok Verma.

Also read: 7 facts about M Nageshwar Rao, the new interim CBI director

Earlier on January 21, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had also recused himself hearing the plea that challenged the government’s order to appoint Rao as the interim chief of the CBI. The CJI said that he would be taking part in the meeting that would select the CBI director on January 24.

A high-powered selection committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CJI, and Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in Lok Sabha, will meet today to appoint the new CBI director.

On January 10, the Modi government fired Alok Verma as CBI chief and Rao was appointed as the interim chief.

With inputs from PTI