Delhi HC grants CBI four weeks time to complete probe in Rakesh Asthana case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI Director to appear before it if the investigating agency fails to complete the probe in a corruption case filed against the then special director Rakesh Asthana and others by February 10.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru, however, granted CBI four weeks more time to complete the probe and file an investigation report on the matter.

The high court pulled up the CBI for seeking more time to complete the investigation and said that if they failed to complete it, the CBI director will have to appear before it for assistance on the next date of the hearing i.e. February 10.

It also clarified that if the probe is completed before the next date of the hearing, then no assistance shall be sought.

It is the third time CBI has sought another extension to complete the investigation of the bribery charges against Devender Kumar, Rakesh Asthana, Manoj Prasad, and others.

CBI has also filed a Status Report containing developments made in the investigation in a sealed cover for consideration of the court.

The report containing details of investigation and evidence gathered had been prepared before the submission of the last Status Report before the Court.

CBI application further stated that it needs more time for legal scrutiny by supervisory officers and simultaneously to complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible.

Asthana and Devendra 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.