Delhi High Court asks CBI to complete probe against Rakesh Asthana in bribery case in another two months

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) two more months’ time to complete the probe against Rakesh Asthana, the agency’s former director, against whom there are allegations of bribery.

The court had in May, asked the agency to complete the inquiry within four months, and Justice Vibhu Bakhru today said no more additional time will be granted. Once the September deadline to complete the probe could not be met, the CBI sought more time from the court. The progress on the case however, has been submitted.

Representing the CBI, additional solicitor general Vikramjit Banerjee said that response in connection with the probe was still awaited from the United States and the United Arab Emirates and thus the probe could not be completed.

Former CBI director Nageswara Rao had appointed Satish Dagar to investigate the case against Asthana. However, Dagar has recently applied for voluntary retirement and some months ago, Rao was transferred out of the CBI and appointed to the less important position of the director general of fire services, civil defence and home guard.

Rakesh Asthana, along with CBI deputy superintendent of police Devender Kumar, and middleman Manoj Prasad came under the CBI’s probe for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore for not taking action against Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Babu Sana who has been under investigation in the Moin Qureshi corruption case. Asthana has also been accused of receiving kickbacks and extorting money from Sana.

Meanwhile, Asthana had also accused his then boss, the former CBI director Alok Verma of corruption charges and for making false accusations. The Prime Minister had to intervene after a very public spat between the two top officers of the CBI and both officers were asked to go on compulsory leave in October 2018.

In January, the Delhi High Court had rejected Asthana’s plea (along with that of Devender Kumar and Manoj Prasad) to quash the FIR filed by the CBI in the case.