CBI officers clash again, 'fake encounter' allegation levelled against Joint Director

After the internecine war last year between two top officers of CBI, another case has erupted in which an officer has levelled charges against his own colleague. A DySP-level officer has filed a complaint that a Joint Director in the agency was involved in "a fake encounter" of 14 innocent persons in Jharkhand.

In his complaint, which has been given to the CBI Director apart from Chief Vigilance Commissioner and the PMO, CBI's Deputy Superintendent of Police NP Mishra has alleged that that the agency's Joint Director AK Bhatnagar was involved in the fake encounter and has sought his removal from the service.

This is not the first time when Mishra has levelled allegations against the officer of an agency. Last year, he levelled allegations against three senior officers of the CBI.

ANI sought a reply from the CBI on the issue but the agency did not respond to queries.

"It is submitted that AK Bhatnagar, who is presently working as JD (Admn), CBI, is grossly involved in the fake encounter of 14 innocent persons in Jharkhand. It is also learnt that the related case is under investigation in CBI SC-I Branch," the complaint said.

It said that "services of A K Bhatnagar in CBI must be terminated at once" to uphold the impartiality of the CBI or else there is every likelihood of it "casting aspersions on the working of CBI."

The complaint also talked of possible influence in the process of investigation by Bhatnagar "by virtue of his high placement in the organisation."

Mishra stated that the family members of the victims have already made a complaint in this regard.

"Besides, the above heinous criminal act, involvement of Bhatnagar in various corrupt practices in the organisation has been brought to the notice of your good self on various occasions by various representation/complaints," the complaint said.

Mishra had last year levelled allegations against officers of "corruption and manipulation of evidence" in the murder case of journalist Umesh Rajput in Chhattisgarh but the CBI had denied all the allegations levelled by its own officer.

Mishra has been transferred and he has challenged his transfer order in the Delhi High Court. The next hearing in the case is on October 1. He has requested the agency that his complaint should be heard early.

The CBI had last year seen a widely-reported feud between its top officers - it's then Director Alok Verma and then Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Both of them were later moved out of the agency.