New Delhi: Hours after the Narendra Modi government’s dramatic midnight move to remove Central Bureau of Investigation director Alok Verma from his position, the agency has transferred the key members of the team investigating the corruption case against agency number 2 Rakesh Asthana off the case. CBI deputy SP A.K. Bassi – who was the leading the investigation – has been posted to Port Blair. The CBI has said that this move is being taken “in public interest with immediate effect” and that Bassi is “directed to join his new place of posting in immediate effect in public interest”. Through another order, key officers who were a part of Bassi’s team were also transferred from their posts and others were brought in in their place. Verma and CBI’s second in-charge Rakesh Asthana – who has been accused by the CBI of bribery and extortion – were both asked to go on leave at around 2 am on Wednesday. A press release from the government noted that the appointments committee of cabinet has asked the agency’s joint director, M. Nageshwar Rao, to hold temporary charge of the CBI. Also read: CBI Director Alok Verma’s Request for Rafale Papers Tipped the Scale Against Him Last week, an FIR was registered against special director Asthana in a bribery case. Many reports have pointed out that Asthana has always landed plush positions because of his proximity with the top brass in the Narendra Modi government. Since official sanction from the government is needed to arrest any officer above the rank of joint secretary, Verma had placed a request but permission was not granted. The FIR against Asthana was filed based on a complaint by Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana on October 15. Sana had alleged that Asthana and Devender Kumar had received illegal gratification through private persons Manoj and Somesh Prasad for giving relief in a money laundering case against exporter Moin Qureshi. Also read: CBI vs CBI Reflects Rot at the Top of Political Leadership The Wire has also learned that Verma – who was selected by a high-powered collegium including the Chief of Justice of India for a protected tenure “not less than two years” that ends in January 2019 – was all set to initiate a preliminary enquiry (PE) in to the Modi government’s controversial decision to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation, with a major part of the offset contracts going to an Anil Ambani-led company.<doc-sep>The Supreme Court on Friday asked CBI special director Rakesh Asthana why he was late in challenging the government’s order sending him on leave, and quipped that he had missed the bus by filing his petition in the morning. “Why are you late? You have missed the bus. Your petition is not before us,” said the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, when Asthana’s counsel, former attorney general Mukul Rohatgi said he too had filed a petition. The court was hearing a petition filed by CBI director Alok Verma, challenging an order issued by the government at 2.30 am on Wednesday divesting him of all duties of the agency. Verma, who was represented by senior jurist Fali Nariman, had challenged the order the same day. Asthana, represented by senior advocate and former attorney general, Mukul Rohatgi, filed his petition on Friday morning. The two top CBI officials were sent on leave following a feud between them, as a fallout of which both accused each other of bribery in connection with cases being probed by the investigative agency. Earlier, Asthana’s counsel Rohatgi, while leaving for court from his residence, told mediapersons that there was nothing big about the case, according to ANI. “It is just one more case. What is big about it? It is not as important as you think it is,” Rohatgi was quoted as saying by the news agency.<doc-sep>Outside the CBI headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha) Outside the CBI headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha) The ongoing war between CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana has escalated with the agency searching its own premises in New Delhi and placing under arrest its Deputy Superintendent of Police, Devender Kumar, for “falsification of records” in connection with bribery allegations involving Asthana. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Verma Sunday evening to discuss the case. He also separately met R&AW chief Anil Dhasmana the same evening since Samant Kumar Goel, Special Secretary of R&AW, has been named in the FIR, although he is not an accused in the case. READ | For fairness sake, share Asthana letter with us: CBI writes to CVC Devender Kumar, who was Investigating Officer in the Moin Qureshi case as part of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Asthana, was arrested around 2 pm Monday. The CBI had earlier searched Kumar’s office in the CBI building Friday. Kumar was the accused Number 2 in the FIR filed by CBI last Tuesday which named Asthana as accused Number 1. READ | Explained: How to read the ‘war’ in CBI CBI sources said that Kumar was arrested on the allegation of “falsification of records in an ongoing investigation”, where he had allegedly fabricated the statement of Sana Sathish Babu “as an afterthought plan to corroborate the baseless allegations” made by Asthana against the CBI Director. As per the FIR, Sana, a witness in the Moin Qureshi case, is alleged to have paid bribes to Asthana for getting relief in investigation from the CBI SIT headed by him. As per sources, the “fabricated” statement of Sana under Section 161 CrPC was allegedly created as showing it to be recorded on September 26 at Delhi. However, CBI’s investigation, sources said, found that Sana was not present in Delhi on that day and was in Hyderabad. He joined investigation at Delhi only on October 1, sources said. Special Director Rakesh Asthana and Director Alok Verma. Special Director Rakesh Asthana and Director Alok Verma. In the statement that CBI called fabricated, Sana told the SIT under Asthana that the case against him had been settled through negotiations carried out by TDP MP C M Ramesh on his behalf with CBI Director Alok Verma. In a statement, CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said: “The matter relates to creation of a statement U/s 161 of Shri Sathish Sana, a witness in the Moin Qureshi case, showing it to be recorded on 26.09.2018 at Delhi. During investigation, it has been found that Shri Sana was not present in Delhi on that day and was in Hyderabad. Shri Sana actually joined investigation at Delhi on 1.10.2018.” READ | Mud flies in war within CBI, Asthana sent list against Verma, with over a dozen complaints The “fabricated” statement, signed by Devender Kumar as IO, is in question-answer format. In response to a question why on being summoned by CBI for questioning he had insisted that the investigation against him had been concluded, Sana said, “During June 2018, I had discussed my case with one of my old friends Sh C M Ramesh, a Rajya Sabha member, who assured that he will talk to the concerned Director. Subsequently, when I met with Sh CM Ramesh, he told that he had personally met Director CBI regarding my case and examination by CBI. Sh Ramesh also informed that I will not be called again in this case. Since, from June onwards, I was not called by CBI, I was under the impression that the investigation against me is completed.” Reached for comment Monday, Ramesh, who is from the TDP, told The Indian Express: “In my entire life, I have not even met a constable from the CBI. All of this is being fabricated to malign our image after we have exited the NDA. Now even CBI has found it to be fabricated.” READ | Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi, says ‘CBI is weapon of political vendetta’ In a letter written to the CVC on October 19, Asthana had alleged that Sana had approached Ramesh, who in turn personally met Verma. Later Ramesh, as per the letter, assured Sana that he would not be called again by CBI. Asking for transfer of eight cases under CBI investigation to another SIT, Asthana also alleged that “active efforts are underway to falsely implicate” him. Asthana’s latest letter came after Manoj Prasad, Dubai-based businessman named in the FIR for allegedly collecting bribe for Asthana from Sana, was arrested from Delhi airport on Tuesday morning. Manoj is currently in police custody until October 25. READ | FIR by CBI against Rakesh Asthana followed statement by Moin Qureshi case accused Besides Asthana and Kumar, CBI’s FIR No 13A/2018 filed on Tuesday also lists Manoj Prasad and Someshwar Prasad as the accused. As per the FIR, the act of demand and acceptance of bribe allegedly happened in two distinct periods: December 2017 and October 2018. As per Sana’s statement, the bribe has allegedly been paid through Prasad five times so far. While Rs 1 crore was allegedly paid in dirhams in Dubai on December 10, 2017, Rs 1.95 crore was paid in Delhi three days later. On October 10, Rs 25 lakh was paid in Delhi, and two tranches of 25,000 and 30,000 dirhams were allegedly paid in Dubai four days later. READ | Probing Rakesh Asthana daughter’s wedding in Vadodara, CBI gets replies from four hotels CBI’s investigation reportedly shows that the summons to Sana — four of them issued in October and November 2017 — stopped after Rs 2.95 crore out of the Rs 5 crore demanded of him were allegedly paid. But as per WhatsApp messages reportedly in CBI’s possession, the pressure to pay the remaining amount continued on Sana. In February, after Sana flew down to Dubai to meet Prasad, the summons once again stopped even though a summon had been issued to him a day prior.<doc-sep>New Delhi: The CBI has overhauled the team probing allegations of corruption against its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana, bringing in completely new faces, officials said Wednesday. Changes have been effected from the investigation officer to the supervisory level, they said. M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, who took over the duties and functions of CBI director late last night, appointed Satish Dagar as superintendent of police to probe the case, they said. Dagar has earlier probed cases against Dera Sachcha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. His first supervisor will be Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Tarun Gauba, who investigated the Vyapam cases. At the joint director-level, V Murugesan has been brought in. He will hold additional charge as joint director, Anti Corruption-I, in the CBI headquarters. The Supreme Court had reposed faith in Murugesan in the coal scam probe, officials said. The previous investigating officer, Deputy SP AK Bassi, has been shunted to Port Blair in "public interest" with "immediate effect", inviting sharp criticism from the Opposition. CPI(M) general secreatry Sitaram Yechury said, "We don't know if CBI was investigating other issues like Rafale scam. If that was the case, it was ordered to protect the government, PM and concerned officers. Why was the DIG investigating the charges against Asthana sent to 'Kala Pani' in Andaman?' In a series of tweets, Yechury slammed the government for the current state of affairs in the country's premier investigative agency. "The illegal removal of CBI chief by Modi government to protect their own handpicked officer, against whom serious charges of corruption are being investigated, points to attempts at a serious cover-up to protect his direct links to the BJP's top political leadership", he tweeted. Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, "PM Modi has buried the last nail in the independence of CBI. The systematic dismantling and disintegration of CBI is complete. PM's systematic attack on credibility and capacity of CBI has now ensured that its credibility is dead and buried," he said. Asthana had alleged in his complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission that Bassi was carrying out "roving inquiries" against him on the directions of Alok Verma, the CBI director who has been divested of all powers by the government along with him. In another order, the CBI transferred Joint Director-Policy Arun Kumar Sharma and posted him as joint director of the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), probing former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case. Senior officer, A Sai Manohar, has been transferred and posted as joint director Chandigarh zone while Amit Kumar, DIG Economic Offence-III, will hold additional charge of joint director-policy.<doc-sep>
The internal tussle in Indiaâ€™s central probe agency split wide open after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) charged its own Special Director Rakesh Asthana for accepting bribes to settle a case involving controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi. Rakesh Asthana has been sent on leave, while CBI Director Alok Verma was relieved of his post and Deputy SP Devender Kumar has been suspended and sent to a seven-day CBI custody. The CBI headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday were searched and raided by its officials over the bribery allegations and the fast-following developments have triggered a massive political fight in India. Hereâ€™s all you need to know about the controversy. The tussle between CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana started in 2017. It all started with Asthanaâ€™s appointment to CBI. Verma handed over a confidential letter to Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) over Asthanaâ€™s promotion to the post of CBI special director, claiming the latter was under investigation in the 2017 Sterling Biotech bribery case. However, Asthanaâ€™s promotion was cleared. In June 2018, Alok Verma wrote another letter to the CVC that Asthana could not represent him in his absence since the latter faces allegations of corruption. Later, Asthana shot back and filed a complaint against Verma accusing him of interfering in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) corruption case involving the family members of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. This bureaucratic infight between Verma and Asthana came to a head when the CBI named Asthana in a First Information Report (FIR) in a bribery case and the allegations escalated. On October 21, the CBI charged Rakesh Asthana, a 1984-batch Indian Police Service officer of Gujarat cadre, of accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore from a Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, who was under probe in the Moin Qureshi case in order to "wreck" the investigation. The CBI has alleged that bribes were given at least five times between December 2017 and October 2018. The charges against Asthana came to light after Dubai-based middleman Manoj Kumar gave a confessional statement before a magistrate stating that he paid Rs 2 crore to Asthana on behalf of Moin Qureshi, who is being probed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering. Qureshi was arrested by the ED in August 2017 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. On October 22, the CBI arrested its own DSP Devender Kumar in connection with the bribery allegations against Asthana. Kumar has been accused of fabricating the statements given by Sathish Babu Sana, a witness in the Qureshi case, showing that he had recorded a statement on September 26, 2016, in New Delhi. However, after investigation, it was found that Sana was never in New Delhi but in Hyderabad and joined the probe only on October 1, 2018. Devender Kumar was on Tuesday remanded to seven-day CBI custody and suspended from the CBI pending investigation. After the CBI filed an FIR against Asthana, he moved the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking interim protection from arrest and quashing of an FIR in connection with bribery allegations against him. The Delhi High Court has given former CBI Director Alok Verma time till Monday, October 29 to respond to the allegations against Asthana. The court ruled that until October 29, no action can be taken against Asthana. The court has also ordered CBI to â€śmaintain status quoâ€ť with regards to this issue, with Justice Najmi Waziri stating that the â€śpetitioner is before court now.â€ť Delhi HC has also clarified that this does not qualify as a stay on the probe into the claims. Meanwhile, in a dramatic midnight action, the Centre divested CBI Director Alok Verma of his charges on Wednesday and appointed M Nageshwar Rao as the Interim CBI Director. Alok Verma has challenged the Centreâ€™s order removing him from the post and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear his petition on Friday. Thirteen officers probing the bribery case against Asthana have been transferred - Dy SP CBI AK Bassi, Additional SP CBI SS Gum, CBI DIG Manish Kumar Sinha, DIG Taurn Gauba, DIG Jasbir Singh, DIG Anish Prasad, DIG KR Chaurasia, HoB Ram Gopal, SP Satish Dagar, CBI's JD (P)Arun Kumar Sharma, A Sai Manohar, HoZ V Murugesan and DIG Amit Kumar.