CBI vs CBI alleged graft case: Special court adjourns hearing on CBI chargesheet for noon today

A special court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet for 12-noon today and has asked the probe agency to get the case diary in connection with the CBI vs CBI alleged graft case.

Court also interrogated CBI regarding the investigation details. Special judge Sanjeev Agarwal asked CBI for details of all call detail records of key players between 0000 hours on October 15, 2018 till 2330 hours on October 23, 2018, and the case diary of the first Investigating Officer for the same period.

Court also posed certain questions regarding it's official Rakesh Asthana. The judge asked, "Did you collect any electronic equipment, mobile, etc. from Rakesh Asthana during the investigation" to which the CBI replied, "No, we examined him. But never confronted him with anyone."

The Court is considering the chargesheet filed by CBI recently, which gave a clean chit to its officials.

The CBI had on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it has filed a chargesheet in the trial court in connection with the bribery case that had created a rift among the agency's officers in 2018.

CBI, from time to time, has filed an application seeking an extension to complete the investigation in the bribery charges against Devender Kumar, Rakesh Asthana, Manoj Prasad, and others.

However, on January 8, the High Court warned that if the CBI failed to complete its probe till the second week of February, then the CBI Director need to appear before it, and explain the delay.

Asthana and DSP Devender Kumar, who was arrested in 2018 and later got bail, were named in column 12 of the chargesheet in the case since there was not enough evidence to make them an accused.

The CBI had registered the case against former CBI Special Director Asthana on the basis of a complaint from Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

The CBI had recently filed a chargesheet in connection with the alleged bribery case in its special court.

Asthana and Kumar have not been named as accused in the chargesheet, according to CBI sources.

Dubai based businessman and alleged middleman Manoj Prasad has been made an accused in the case.

Asthana and Kumar are being probed by the CBI for allegedly accepting a bribe in exchange of giving a clean chit to Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana.

Asthana had also accused former CBI Director Alok Verma of trying to falsely implicate him in the case, following which the Centre sent both the officers on leave last year.