Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana Sent on Leave as CBI Row Intensifies

Asthana was probing a clutch of high-profile cases.

Director CBI Alok Verma and Special Director CBI Rakesh Asthana

(Photo: The Quint)

In the latest spate of developments in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) row, Director Alok Verma and Special Director CBI Rakesh Asthana have been sent on leave.

Offices of both Verma and Asthana have been sealed and CISF has been ordered to not allow both officers into the CBI premises.

On Tuesday, the CBI informed a lower court in Delhi that the agency has included additional five charges in the existing FIR lodged on 15 October against Asthana and three others.

The five additional charges are under IPC Sections 388 (extortion of money by threat), 384 (extortion), 389 (extortion of money), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document)

The FIR was initially registered under Section 120B (conspiracy) of the IPC and Sections 7 (illegal gratification), 13(2) (criminal misconduct), 13(1)(d) (taking bribe) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Section 7A (to influence public servant by corrupt means) of Prevention of Corruption Act (as amended in 2018).

After registering the FIR, the CBI arrested middleman Manoj Prasad on 16 October, who allegedly collected a bribe of Rs 2.95 crore on Asthana’s behalf to pass on a favour to a witness, Sathish Sana, in a case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

On 22 October, the CBI arrested its own man, Devender Kumar, who was the investigating officer in the Moin Qureshi case.

On Tuesday, 23 October, Kumar was produced before the lower court by the CBI. The agency informed the court that Kumar, in conspiracy with Asthana, has allegedly extorted money from witness Sathish Sana. The court has granted Kumar a 7-day CBI custody, while the agency has suspended him. 

Asthana & Kumar Moved Delhi HC for Quashing of FIR

On the other hand, Asthana and Kumar filed two separate petitions in Delhi High Court on the quashing of the FIR against them.

Both the petitions were heard by the court. Senior Advocate Amarendra Sharan, appearing for Asthana, argued that the FIR against him was registered with ‘mala-fides”.

The high court has ordered that no coercive action be taken against Asthana, which means his premises cannot be searched by the CBI and that he cannot be arrested until the next date of hearing on 29 October. But, as claimed by the CBI, Asthana can still be summoned by the agency, as the court has not stayed the investigation in the bribery case.

The court also told Asthana to preserve all electronic equipment, which is part of evidence in the case.

Asthana Was Looking Into Sensitive Cases

Prior to the controversy, Asthana was heading the special investigation team (SIT) in the Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland chopper cases.

With Asthana being sent on leave, what happens to the pending clutch of high-profile cases remains unknown as of yet.

The infighting in the CBI between the director of the CBI and Special Director CBI Asthana was first reported by the media on 16 July 2018.

After the registration of the FIR against Asthana, who is second-in-command in the CBI, the credibility of the entire institution is at stake.