Agencies / New Delhi
In a major setback to Special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana, the Delhi High Court on Friday refused to quash an FIR against him in a case involving bribery allegations filed by the agency.
Justice Najmi Waziri directed the CBI to conclude investigation involving Asthana, who had a running battle with ousted Director Alok Verma, within 10 weeks.
The court said law treats everyone equal and Asthana being a agency official, cannot claim privilege or immunity.
It noted that the truth of allegations of bribery against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana could only be known after a thorough inquiry.
Justice Najmi Waziri dismissed pleas from Mr. Asthana, Deputy SP Devender Kumar and alleged middleman Manoj Kumar Prasad to quash the FIR registered against them for extortion and threatening businessman Satish Babu Sana.
The High Court also vacated the interim protection granted to Mr. Asthana and others against the agency’s inquiry into the allegations levelled in the FIR. It additionally said the allegation of “mala fide” made against then CBI Director Alok Verma in registering the FIR has not been substantiated.
Countering the grievance of the senior CBI officers that their integrity could not be doubted, as they were a part of a Special Investigating Team, Mr Waziri remarked, “The law does not entertain personalities. It treats all equally”.
“Whether the petitioners/ public servants were at all involved in the offence would be known only after a thorough inquiry by the investigating agency,” the judge said, adding, “Where a cognizable offence is made out, the law must take its course”.
The FIR was registered on October 15 last year against Mr. Asthana, Mr. Kumar, Mr. Prasad and others on the written complaint of Mr. Sana containing allegations of harassment and extortion in connection with investigation of a case related to meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi. Mr. Sana had alleged that he was harassed to extort money and had already paid a sum of ₹3 crore on different occasions.
Earlier, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the CBI, had strongly asserted that the “investigation must go on” into the complaint against its senior officers.