CBI vs CBI – Delhi HC orders status quo in Asthana case
Sumit Singh
New Delhi – In a major relief to CBI special director Rakesh Asthana, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered status quo in his case and that no coercive step should be taken.
Ashthana had approached the HC after CBI had registered a case of corruption and criminal conspiracy against him and others.
Now the matter will be heard on October 29 and the HC has asked CBI director Alok Verma to respond to allegations leveled by Asthana against him.
On Monday, the agency had arrested its DSP Devender Kumar in the case and also searched the CBI headquarter in New Delhi.
There are allegations that he received kickbacks for not harassing a businessman who has been questioned in connection with case of meat exporter Moin Qureshi. Out of Rs 5 crores, over three crores had been paid, the businessman stated in his complaint.
Interestingly, two months back Asthana had complained to the Union Cabinet Secretary alleging that the concerned businessman had allegedly paid Rs two crores bribe to CBI director Alok Verma for giving relief him in the case. The Central Vigilance Commission is looking into these allegations.
While the allegations are being leveled, Asthana has been booked for offences including criminal conspiracy, misconduct as well as corruption.
The Delhi Anti-corruption unit of the CBI reguistered the FIR on October 15 based on complaint from businessman Sathish Babu Sana of Hyderabad. To make the case water tight, the agency has recorded his statement before a judicial magistrate under section 164 CrPC, which is admissible as evidence.
CBI officials said that there was no direct meeting between Sana and Asthana, who is a Gujarat-cadre IPS. Asthana is head of the SIT probing the AgustaWestland chopper scam and as well fraud by Vijay Mallya. His team is also investigating the Moin Qureshi case.
After the FIR was registered, Asthana again wrote to the Central Vigilance Commissioner on October 19 that he wanted to arrest and question Sana. He had sent the proposal to the CBI director in September but till now permission was not granted. Hence, Asthana had got a look out circular issued against Sana who wanted to go out of India but was detained at airport.
Samant Kumar Goel, who is number two in India’s external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has also been mentioned in statement of businessman Sana. But CBI has not named him as accused in the case yet.
