In a first, CBI books its Special Director for graft

Though the CBI was tight-lipped over whether it has lodged any FIR naming its Number 2 officer after the agency’s Director Alok Verma, multiple sources within the agency and in the government did not rule out the possibility.

Both Verma and Asthana could not be reached for comment. Asthana, a 1984 batch Indian Police Service officer of Gujarat cadre, is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore from a businessman who was under probe in the Qureshi case in order to “wreck” the investigation. The case was being examined by a special investigation team (SIT) headed by Asthana.

Sources said the CBI lodged the FIR earlier this week after the arrest of a middleman Manoj Kumar, who has given a confessional statement before a magistrate confirming the payment of Rs 2 crore to Asthana. Manoj has reportedly admitted that he had paid the bribe on behalf of Qureshi, who is being probed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering for a host of public servants.

Qureshi was arrested by the ED in August last year under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Apart from Asthana, the CBI has also named Samant Kumar Goel, Special Director of India’s external intelligence agency RAW, but not an accused.

The latest move is another indication of the escalating internal war within the CBI’s top officials, Verma and Asthana.