Delhi HC extends interim relief to CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana till Nov 28

Nov 14 (AZINS) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday extended till November 28 interim protection from arrest to CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, accused of graft by his own agency.

The CBI had registered a case against Asthana on the basis of a complaint from Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

Sana alleged that the officer had helped him get a clean chit.

The agency had arrested alleged middleman Manoj Prasad and its Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar in the case. It was alleged by Sana that Prasad and his brother Somesh had taken Rs 2 crore to arrange a clean chit to him.

While Kumar was later released on bail by the trial court, Prasad is still in judicial custody.

Prasad, Asthana and Kumar have also filed separate petitions in the high court seeking quashing of the FIR against them.

Asthana had levelled allegations of corruption against CBI director Alok Kumar Verma. Both Asthana and Verma have been sent on leave in view of the allegations against them.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on Monday filed in the Supreme Court its preliminary enquiry report, in a sealed cover, about Verma.

The apex court had issued notices to the Centre and the CVC seeking their replies on Verma's petition challenging the government's decision to divest him of his powers as CBI chief and sending him on leave.

On October 26, it had also set a deadline of two weeks for the CVC to complete the preliminary inquiry against the CBI director.

Besides the plea filed by Verma, the court is also seized of the PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, which has sought a probe by special investigation team against CBI officers including Asthana, and had issued notices to the Centre, CBI, CVC, Asthana, Verma and Rao asking them to respond to it by November 12.

Asthana has also moved the apex court with a separate petition in the matter and has sought removal of Verma from the post of CBI Director.