Delhi HC to hear Asthana's plea seeking quashing of FIR in bribery case

The Delhi High Court will on Thursday hear a plea filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special director, Rakesh Asthana and others seeking quashing of First Information Report (FIR) filed against them in a bribery case.

The matter will be put forward for hearing at around 2.15 pm on Friday.

CBI Director Alok Verma has already filed his reply in the High Court.

Verma has clearly denied all the charges and allegations made against him by Asthana and said that the allegations are nothing but a figment of the imagination of the petitioner.

"Allegations are nothing but the imagination of the petitioner, a petition by Asthana is not maintainable and is misconceived. The investigation is at a nascent stage. Allegations made in the complaint against Asthana and others are very serious and requires thorough probe," Verma had said.

Verma has also submitted to the court that the petition moved by Asthana is not maintainable and is misconceived.

Alok Verma has said that the allegations of corruption against Rakesh Asthana, who is holding a very high public office of such a prestigious institution raise serious concern, which is required to be thoroughly investigated without any bias so that public faith in CBI is maintained

FIR was registered against Asthana and others after a preliminary inquiry by the then CBI officials.

The investigating agency filed an FIR against Asthana for allegedly accepting a bribe from a businessman, who was related to controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi case. Asthana was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was probing Qureshi's case.

The case against Kumar and Asthana among others was registered based on a complaint received by Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana on October 15.