CBI Versus CBI Ugly Tussle Reaches Court
Asthana challenges bribery allegations made by his boss Alok Verma and the investigating agency. Delhi HC to hear case on Monday.
New Delhi: The sorry state of affairs in the country's premier investigating agency worsened on Tuesday as the CBI versus CBI tussle reached the court. The number 2 officer in CBI, Rakesh Asthana, who was named in an alleged bribery case by his boss, Alok Verma, challenged the charges against him in an FIR filed by the agency and asked for protection from arrest. Asthana is accused number two in the FIR along with his officer Devender Kumar as accused number 1. Kumar was arrested on Monday.
According to NDTV, Asthana, will not be arrested at least till Monday -- when the case is taken up next. The Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and its chief Verma, seeking their response to Asthana's counter allegations.
"The nature and gravity of the case is such that no stay can be granted," said the court, as per NDTV. Asthana's lawyer had said that his client "fears arrest and coercive steps".
According to the Times of India, Justice Najmi Waziri also told the CBI and Verma not to "disturb the equilibrium".
Responding to Asthana's allegations, the CBI counsel said, “The charges very serious against the accused including that of bribery. Charges under the prevention of corruption act along with criminal conspiracy. Charges of extortion and forgery will be added”, The Wire reported.
A Gujarat cadre officer, Asthana is considered very close to Modi, and has been in the eye of the storm since he was placed in Delhi. Since Verma will retire in January, Asthana was tipped as Modi and BJP president Amit Shah's choice as his successor.
Meanwhile, taking a dig at the Prime Minister, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said Modi's "hand-picked" Asthana was "caught red-handed", forcing the probe agency to register a graft case against one of its own.
"The official patronised by the BJP and handpicked by Modi, was pushed into our premier investigation agency despite opposition to his entry only to subvert ongoing investigations and stop all cases against BJP leaders," Yechury tweeted.
He went to ask: "Who patronised this official (Asthana) in his career? Who handpicked him for CBI despite strong opposition by the Director? If this official is now caught "fabricating" documents and taking bribes, should his political patrons in BJP not be asked tough questions too? What is their role."
Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan tweeted: "Instead of suspending Rakesh Asthana, it seems that the PM is trying to send the CBI Director Verma on leave! PM has no authority to send CBI director on leave as his tenure is protected. It is not CBI vs CBI. It is CBI versus a corrupt officer planted in the CBI by the PMO."
Hailing from the Gujarat cadre, Asthana had supervised the probe into the 2002 Godhra tragedy as Inspector General of Police, Vadodara range. His
elevation to the top post had evoked sharp reactions from the opposition following which he made way for Alok Verma.
(With inputs from IANS)
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