War in CBI reaches PM Modi’s door after No. 2 officer Rakesh Asthana is named in bribery scandal

File image of Narendra Modi | PTI

PM Modi is expected to intervene in the war in CBI between its director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana.

New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office is considering repatriating CBI special director Rakesh Asthana after the investigating agency booked him as a prime accused in a bribery scandal, ThePrint has learnt.

The final decision, however, is expected to be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Asthana, a 1984 batch Indian Police Service officer of the Gujarat cadre, has been named as accused No.1, for allegedly demanding and taking a bribe from businessman Sana Sathish, who is being investigated in a case of corruption.

Rakesh Asthana heads the special investigation team (SIT) probing Qureshi.

The CBI had informed the Central Vigilance Commission in September that it was probing six cases of corruption against Asthana. The cases include two FIRs related to the Sterling Biotech case, two FIRs related to the arrest of journalist Upendra Rai, and an FIR regarding the recent searches made by the agency on a caterer at the Palika Services Officers’ Institute (PSOI) in Chanakyapuri.

Samant Kumar Goel, special director of India’s external intelligence agency RAW, has also been named in the FIR, but not as an accused, highly placed sources said. Goel is also from the 1984 batch of the IPS and is believed to be close to his batch-mate Asthana.

What is the case?

Qureshi, a meat exporter who was arrested in August 2016, allegedly extorted money from suspects on behalf of CBI directors, promising relief. In one of the cases, Qureshi allegedly extorted Rs 5.75 crore from a businessman for providing him “help” in the case with the assistance of a CBI director.

Qureshi was raided by the Income Tax Department in February 2014, and his message exchanges found on his Blackberry phone with then CBI director A.P. Singh, leading to Singh’s resignation from the post of UPSC member to which he was appointed after his retirement from CBI.

Three years later, a case was registered by the CBI in February 2017.

Qureshi was also charge-sheeted by the Enforcement Directorate for allegedly extorting money on behalf of CBI directors Ranjit Sinha and A.P. Singh. He was allegedly involved in hawala transactions, illegal forex dealings and tax evasions.

Key testimony

On 4 October, Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Satish — one of the people who allegedly paid money to Qureshi to get the CBI off his back — gave a statement to a magistrate naming Rakesh Asthana, Dubai-based businessman Manoj Prasad, and Prasad’s relative Somesh.

Satish alleged that he paid Rs 3 crore to the three men over the last 10 months to remain off the CBI’s radar. He also said he paid Rs 25 lakh to a middleman as recently as 9 October, at the behest of Prasad, to avoid appearing for questioning before the CBI.

On 24 August, Asthana had complained to the cabinet secretary, alleging many instances of ‘corruption’ by CBI director Alok Verma. This included an alleged payment of Rs 2 crore by Satish to Verma to ‘settle’ the Qureshi probe.

Satish, sources said, was called in for questioning in September, but was allegedly tipped off by Asthana. He tried to leave for Dubai, but was stopped by immigration since there was a look-out notice issued against him.

Satish then allegedly contacted the investigation officer in the Qureshi case, asking why such a notice had been issued against him despite “paying off” the director.

Following this, the ED too called him for questioning.

Then, on 16 October, Prasad allegedly travelled to Delhi from Dubai with Rs 1.75 crore and was apprehended by CBI.

The CBI is learnt to have put on record telephone intercepts, bank account statements, some mails and messages to prove Rakesh Asthana’s involvement.

Meanwhile, what put RAW’s No. 2 Goel under the CBI’s scanner was that he had been in regular touch with both Manoj Prasad and Somesh. However, his role has not yet been established.

Tussle at the top

There is a massive tussle going on at the top of the CBI — between Verma and the de facto No.2, Asthana, who is known to be close to the powers that be, with one ‘lobby’ reportedly trying to save him. He is also said to be close to the current ED chief Karnal Singh.

Asthana has also alleged that Verma and additional director A.K. Sharma were interfering in cases being probed by him.

The CBI, in response, said Asthana was maligning Verma’s image and trying to “intimidate” officials by sending a “frivolous” complaint to the CVC against Verma.

Asthana then wrote to the government with a complaint against Verma, saying that the director had sought to impede his functioning, interfere in investigations and malign his reputation.

Then, on 21 September, the CBI told central vigilance that it was investigating six cases of corruption against Asthana.

In July, the CBI had written to the CVC saying that Asthana did not have the mandate to represent Verma. CBI had said that several officers being considered for induction in the agency “were under examination by the CBI as suspects/accused in criminal cases under investigation with the bureau”.

It had also said that Rakesh Asthana himself was under the scanner and to “maintain organisational integrity”, he could not “be consulted for inducting officers into CBI” in the absence of the director.

This report has been updated to correct that Asthana is being investigated for allegedly demanding and taking a bribe from businessman Sana Sathish and not Moin Qureshi, as reported in an earlier version. The error is regretted.