Delhi court expresses displeasure with CBI Probe in bribery case involving Rakesh Asthana

A Delhi Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure with CBI investigation into a bribery case involving its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana and has put up the charge-sheet for consideration on February 19.

Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal asked why certain accused, who seem to have a bigger role in the case, roaming free while CBI arrested its own DSP.

"You also arrested your own DSP and ruined his career. Now, you have not found anything concrete and put him in column 12 of the charge sheet," Aggarwal said.

The CBI officer, while sharing charge-sheet details in the court, informed that a Look Out Circular has been opened against Asthana's brother Somesh Prasad and letter rogatories are pending in further probe.

On this, the court asked, "Is opening an LoC sufficient? He is enjoying life and roaming around."

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

On Tuesday, the CBI had filed a charge-sheet in connection with an alleged bribery case in CBI Special court.

Asthana and Kumar have not been named as accused in the charge sheet, according to CBI sources. Dubai based businessman and alleged middleman Manoj Prasad has been made an accused in the case. Charge-sheet stated that the investigation in the matter is still underway.

Asthana and Kumar are being probed by the CBI for allegedly accepting a bribe in exchange for 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 on leave last year.