HC to hear middleman's plea on Nov 1 in bribery case involving CBI spl director Asthana

The Delhi High Court Tuesday said it would hear on November 1 a plea of middleman Manoj Prasad, arrested in the bribery case involving CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, seeking quashing of the FIR against him.

Justice Najmi Waziri, who was scheduled to hear the petition Tuesday, listed it for Thursday after Prasad's counsel sought an adjournment saying the senior advocate who has to argue the matter was busy in the Supreme Court.

On November 1, the court would hear three separate pleas -- of Asthana, CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar and Prasad seeking quashing of FIR against them.

The court had yesterday heard the three pleas and while Asthana and Kumar's petitions were listed for November, Prasad's matter was fixed for today.

Prasad, arrested on October 17, was produced before a trial court here Tuesday on expiry of his CBI custody. He was sent to 14-day in judicial custody. Kumar, who was arrested on October 23, was also sent to judicial custody.

The high court had yesterday observed that Prasad's case was on a different footing from that of Asthana and Kumar.

It had said Prasad was a private person while Asthana and Kumar were public servants and nothing stops CBI from probing a private individual.

Prasad has also sought a stay on the investigation by the agency till the disposal of the petition.

The CBI had registered the case against 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.

Sana alleged that the officer had helped him get a clean chit.

The agency had also arrested Prasad in the case, when he returned from Dubai. It was alleged by Sana that Prasad and his brother Somesh had taken Rs 2 crore to arrange clean chit to him.

Prasad, a resident of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, has arrayed as respondents -- the CBI, its chief Alok Kumar Verma, Superintendent of Police S S Gurm, Deputy Superintendent Ajay Kumar Bassi -- in the matter.

He has also arrayed Sana as a respondent on whose complaint the FIR was lodged.

Prasad's sister has filed the petition on his behalf on October 26.