October 29, 2018:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), under Alok Verma, was planning to arrest its Special Director Rakesh Asthana when the Delhi High Court on Tuesday last restrained it from taking any coercive action against him, as told by the Officials.
Alok Verma was divested of his responsibilities hours after the Court’s order along with Asthana over the corruption charges the two have leveled against each other.
A Government Official said,“Not only Asthana, but 2 other key officials, Joint Director A Sai Manohar & Superintendent of Police Jagroop Gusinha, working under him in the Special Investigation Team looking into the case against controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi were on the list of those who were to be arrested.”
He added that the three realized they could be arrested when their subordinate & the Investigation Officer in the tax evasion & money laundering case against Qureshi, deputy superintendent of police Devendra Kumar, was arrested.
CBI had on October 15 registered an FIR against Asthana saying two middlemen had allegedly struck Rs. 5 crore deal on his behalf to close the case against Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Satish Babu, who is being investigated along with Qureshi.
Earlier in a complaint to the Cabinet Secretary Asthana alleged that Verma had tried to stop him from questioning Babu. He said Babu had claimed to have allegedly paid Rs. 2 crore to get the case closed against him.
In the case registered against Asthana, the agency searched Kumar’s Office & Residence before arresting him.
A CBI Official said,“On Tuesday, when Asthana approached the Delhi high court, the agency investigators were moving fast in the case against him. Plans were afoot to search offices & residences of Asthana, Manohar, & Gusinha & then arrest them in the case. Due to the arrest threat on Tuesday, neither Manohar nor Gusinha were in the office.”
A government functionary said Asthana, too, was unavailable at his residence on Monday or Tuesday fearing arrest. Another CBI Official said Verma’s sleuths were planning to question Asthana even after the high court restrained the agency.
Asthana’s petition seeking quashing of the FIR registered against him will come up for hearing on Monday.
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