M Nageswara Rao, who is holding post of interim CBI Director, was on Tuesday, 18 December, promoted to the rank of an additional director by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Delhi's Patiala House Court on Tuesday, 18 December, granted bail to Manoj Prasad, an alleged middleman arrested in connection with bribery allegations involving CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
The CBI on Tuesday also examined Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana to verify and corroborate his statement that had formed the basis of its case of bribery against its Special Director Rakesh Asthana, reported PTI.
- Alok Verma’s two-year tenure ends on 31 January
- He has challenged the Centre’s decision to divest him of duties
- Verma’s counsel Fali Nariman has argued that the transfer of CBI Director should have the approval of the Selection Committee comprising the PM, CJI and Leader of Opposition
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Nageswara Rao Promoted to Rank of CBI Additional Director
M Nageswara Rao, who is holding post of interim CBI Director, was on Tuesday, 18 December, promoted to the rank of an additional director by the government.
A 1986-batch IPS officer from the Odisha cadre, Rao's name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Rao was not considered for the rank of additional director in November 2016 as well as when a review of this batch took place in April 2018, reported PTI.
He had joined the CBI as a joint director in 2016.
CBI Examines Businessman Sathish Sana in Asthana Bribery Case
The CBI on Tuesday, 18 December, examined Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana to verify and corroborate his statement that had formed the basis of its case of bribery against its Special Director Rakesh Asthana, reported PTI.
Sana was called before a new team constituted by interim director M Nageswara Rao immediately after the government sent both CBI Director Alok Verma and Asthana on forced leave in the midnight of 23 October.
Rao had reconstituted the team probing allegations against Asthana and transferred the members of the erstwhile team.
The new team on Tuesday, 18 December called Sana to verify his complaint and asked him to clarify "discrepancies" in his complaint, PTI reported, citing sources.
Delhi Court Grants Bail to 'Middleman' Manoj Prasad
A Delhi court on Tuesday, 18 December, granted bail to Manoj Prasad, an alleged middleman arrested in connection with bribery allegations involving CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
Special CBI judge Santosh Snehi Mann granted bail to Prasad saying that no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody, reported PTI.
Prasad, arrested on 17 October, is currently in judicial custody.
The court had on 3 November denied bail to Prasad, saying it was not a fit stage to grant him relief, PTI further reported.
Earlier, Prasad had called the allegations against him a “lie”, saying that he has “never taken the money” and “never-ever met Asthana”.
On October 31, the court had granted bail to co-accused and CBI DSP Devender Kumar after the agency did not oppose his bail petition.
The agency had registered an FIR against Asthana and others on a written complaint of businessman Sathish Sana on 15 October.
Besides Asthana, Prasad and Kumar, another alleged middleman Somesh Prasad has also been named as an accused in the case.
The FIR had alleged that Kumar, then Investigating Officer (IO) in the case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi, repeatedly called the complainant to the CBI office to harass and compel him to pay a bribe of Rs 5 crore for getting a clean chit in the case.
The complaint had also alleged that a part of the bribe was paid by Sana.
Delhi HC Defers Asthana's Plea Seeking Quashing of FIR Against Him
The Delhi High Court on Friday, 14 December, deferred the hearing to Thursday, 20 December on the plea of Rakesh Asthana and Devender Kumar who were seeking the quashing of the FIR against them.