CBI books its own Special Director in bribery scam

In an unprecedented move, the country’s premier investigation agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has named its Special Director Rakesh Asthana in a new FIR involving a bribery scam. Mr. Asthana, a 1984 batch IPS Officer of Gujarat cadre, is accused of accepting a bribe of ₹ 2 crore in a case that also involves businessman Moin Qureshi, who is facing multiple cases including money laundering and corruption. Though the CBI has not made the lodging of FIR naming its Number 2 in the complaint official, multiple sources from within the agency and in the government have confirmed it. The latest move is another indication of the escalating internal war within the top agency between its top brass: CBI Director Alok Varma and Mr. Asthana. According to details, the agency lodged the FIR after the arrest of a middleman identified as Manoj Kumar, who has given a confessional statement before a magistrate confirming the payment of ₹ 2 crore to Mr. Asthana. Manoj has reportedly admitted that he had paid the bribe on behalf of Mr. Qureshi. Earlier, Mr. Asthana had filed a complaint against the CBI Director Alok Varma, accusing him of interfering in a corruption case involving family members of RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. Subsequently, in a press statement, the agency had denied Mr. Asthana’s charges against the Director and asserted that the Special Director himself was under probe in half a dozen cases and was trying to intimidate officials who were probing his role. It may be noted that this is not the first time Mr. Asthana is facing bribery allegations. Earlier, his name surfaced in the Sandesara brothers case. Vadodara-based businessmen Sandesara brothers are currently abroad, evading probe and arrests by the CBI and ED in a loan default case involving ₹ 5200 crore. Source: The Hindu