Rakesh Asthana Case: ‘Fear For Life’, Complainant Tells SC

The complainant against Rakesh Asthana told SC that he fears that he will be threatened to modify his statements

Sathish Sana, the key player of the CBI row, on whose complaint a bribery case was registered against the Special Director CBI Rakesh Asthana – moved to the Supreme Court on Monday, 29 October, seeking police protection.

(Image: Erum Gour/The Quint)

Sathish Sana, the key player in the CBI row – on whose complaint a bribery case was registered against the Special Director CBI Rakesh Asthana – moved the Supreme Court on Monday, 29 October, seeking police protection on the grounds that he "fears for his life and liberty".

The apex court, on 30 October, after hearing his plea, directed the police to provide him adequate security. But the court refused to stay the CBI notice summoning Sana to join the investigation.

Sana informed the SC that he was summoned by the Investigating Officer, Satish Dagar, on 29 October, to record his statement. But he said that he would record his testimony before the CBI in the presence of the former SC Judge AK Patnaik, who has been assigned by the SC to supervise the CVC inquiry in the allegation of Rs 2 crore against the Director CBI Alok Verma.

Asthana, through several letters to the CVC, had alleged that Sana actually paid a bribe of Rs 2 crore to Verma in lieu of favours in an on-going CBI investigation against Moin Qureshi.

Sana has also reportedly told the apex court that he fears he will be threatened to modify his statements.

The Quint had earlier reported that the CBI is unable to contact Sana because his mobile phone was switched off. Hence, the CBI pasted a notice at the door of the residence of the complainant on in Hyderabad at around 5:30 pm on 26 October, summoning him to the CBI office.

Here are the four important points of Sana’s petition filed in the court:

#1

Sana informed the SC that the CBI has already got his statement recorded before the Metropolitan Magistrate under Section 164, which is an admissible evidence in the court. He further added that the CBI already has his relevant statement in its possession.

#2

He raised concerns in the manner the CBI hastily summoned him on the day the SC ordered CVC inquiry against the Director of CBI Alok Verma.

#3

The complainant said that he fears that he will be ‘intimated and threatened to withdraw/modify his statements already made’. Sana also mentioned that ‘he is being tagged and followed and is being closely monitored. He was assaulted on 3 October 2018 by Mr. Devendra Kumar (the CBI officer who was investigating Moin Qureshi’s case), Sana claimed in the petition.

#4

After the CBI Director and Special Director were sent on leave a new investigative officer, Satish Dagar, was assigned to probe the case against Asthana. Sana said, ‘That the change in the investigative officer and other surrounding circumstances may put his life in danger’. Therefore, he wants the Superintendent of Police, Hyderabad, to provide police protection to the Applicant.

Clearly, Sana is now fearful of facing the new team of CBI officers investigating the bribery case against Asthana.