In possession of documents against Asthana:CBI tells Delhi HC

Opposing Special Director Rakesh Asthana’s petition to quash an FIR against him, the CBI Thursday told the Delhi High Court that the allegations against him show cognizable offences, and that it was in possession of several incriminating documents against him and others in the case, PTI has reported. The CBI told the high court that it was handicapped as certain files were being scrutinised by the Central Vigilance Commission.72

The high court had earlier pulled up the CBI on Monday for not filing a reply to the petition. Asthana had moved court seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against him and three others on October 15 under various sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

Asthana is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 3 crore to avoid action by the CBI in an investigation against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. An accused in this case, Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Sathish Babu, had said that Asthana, among others, accepted the bribe, according to an FIR registered on October 15.

Asthana has alleged that this FIR showed “how the highest officer of the premier investigating agency of the country” was trying to falsely implicate him, the second most senior officer of the agency, to hide his “own criminal misconduct of influencing investigations in exchange for money”.