CBI feud: Chief Alok Verma to move suspension against Rakesh Asthana

Central Bureau of Investigation chief Alok Verma is likely to move suspension against his deputy, Special Director Rakesh Asthana. This development comes after the CBI chief met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, October 22.

According to report in NDTV, a letter was sent over weekend, in which Alok Verma has called for Rakesh Asthana's suspension, referring him "a source of demoralization".

Rakesh Asthana, a Gujarat officer was elevated as one of the country's top investigators last year. Sources in the PM's office say the CBI has not sought permission to act against him, as is required in such cases.

In another development on Monday, October 22, the Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested its officer Devender Kumar, who has worked with Rakesh Asthana. Kumar was accused of making false statements against its chief. The CBI searched its own offices, especially the rooms of senior officers who have worked with Rakesh Asthana.

On Tuesday, Devender Kumar, CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police, has approached the Delhi High Court; hearing to take place at 2 pm.

The agency in a formal statement said: “The matter relates to the creation of a statement under section 161 (Criminal Procedure Code) of Shri Sathish Sana, a witness in Moin Qureshi case, showing it to be recorded on September 26, 2018 at Delhi. During the investigation, it has been found that Shri Sana was not present in Delhi on that day and was in Hyderabad. Shri Sana actually joined investigation at Delhi on October 1.”

“It (CBI) found that Devender Kumar had fabricated this statement as an afterthought plan to corroborate the baseless allegations made by Special Director Rakesh Asthana against Director Alok Kumar Verma to CVC,” the statement said.

The FIR against Rakesh Asthana is based on the claims of Sathish Sana, a Hyderabad-based businessman investigated in a money-laundering case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. Sathish has alleged that he was asked to pay a bribe of ₹ five crore to Asthana to be spared. The CBI says Sathish told a magistrate that he had paid ₹ two crore as bribe to Asthana over a 10 month period from December last year.

In a complaint to the government in August, Rakesh Asthana had alleged it was the CBI chief who took that bribe but had framed him, because he prevented Sathish Sana from skipping the country. Earlier this month, Mr Asthana also accused the CBI chief of trying to frame him in the case of Gujarat-based company Sterling Biotech, which is being investigated for huge loan default.

Earlier on Monday, the PMO summoned CBI Director Alok Verma and Asthana in an apparent bid to put a lid on the open war between the two officials, who had levelled bribery allegations against each other.

*The story was updated at 11:25 to include the latest development