CBI fortifies case against its Special director Asthana

New Delhi, October 23 

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to maintain status quo on the criminal proceedings initiated against the agency’s Special Director Rakesh Asthana and a trial court sent an arrested mid-level officer facing bribery charges to seven-day remand, as the unprecedented internecine battle between the two top officers of the CBI entered the judicial arena.

 During the hearing, the CBI also submitted that charges of extortion and forgery were added against Asthana and Devender Singh, a Deputy Superintendent Police of CBI arrested for allegedly taking bribe and falsification of records.

  The CBI said it had preserved the electronic equipment of Asthana, as directed by the High Court in the case against the top cop and others for allegedly taking bribe in the case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

The CBI also refuted the charge by its arrested DSP of being forced to sign on a blank paper. Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving Qureshi, was arrested on allegations of forgery in recording the statement of businessman Sathish Sana, who had alleged to have paid bribe to get relief in the case. The DSP was suspended.

The CBI said the DSP did not get any relief on his plea for quashing the FIR even as the HC called for status quo in the case against Asthana, who had appealed for “no coercive” action, which the CBI said meant no arrest and no search on his premises till the hearing on Monday.

Asthana claimed CBI chief Alok Verma in collusion with other officers got a case registered without verifying Sana’s complaint. — TNS/PTI

On buzz of ‘suspension’ of special director

• Though there were reports that the CBI Director, Alok Kumar, had recommended   suspension of Special Director Rakesh Asthana, CBI officials denied it.
• Sources said the CBI chief met the PM on Sunday to brief him about the developments in the Asthana case.