The Central Bureau of Investigation has said that its Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who was facing investigation in six cases of corruption, is currently being probed only in one, The Indian Express reported on Friday.
On September 21, the CBI, headed by Alok Verma, had said that the agency was investigating Asthana’s role in “at least half a dozen cases”. In October, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government sent Asthana and Verma on leave after they accused each other of corruption. Asthana is accused of receiving kickbacks and extorting money from Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, who was being investigated in the Moin Qureshi corruption case. Qureshi is an accused in multiple graft cases.
In a Right To Information application filed on October 10, The Indian Express sought details of the six cases that the CBI had mentioned. The agency, in its reply, said it is only investigating Asthana in the case involving Qureshi.
The Delhi High Court is currently hearing a plea filed by Asthana to quash a First Information Report filed against him on October 15 in the bribery case. Asthana had told the Delhi High Court that the FIR filed against him was a backlash to his complaints of criminal misconduct against Verma. The agency had opposed Asthana’s plea that the FIR be quashed, saying that the inquiry against Asthana was at a nascent stage.
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