The government of India has placed the director of the federal investigative agency and his deputy on leave days after the agency filed a case against the deputy alleging that he took bribes to settle a money laundering case.

Indian news reports say that the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Alok Verma, and special director Rakesh Asthana were removed from their posts in an overnight raid early Wednesday.

A feud between the two men has been simmering since before Asthana was promoted to the agency's second-highest post last year.

The CBI under Verma filed a case against Asthana on October 15.

The Supreme Court is set to hear Verma's challenge to his removal on Friday.

The government appointed a joint director to head the agency in the interim.