CBI row: Delhi High Court allows Alok Verma to inspect file relating to Rakesh Asthana case
The agency had told the court that certain files and documents were inaccessible as they were under the Central Vigilance Commission’s scrutiny.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed Central Bureau of Investigation Director Alok Verma and Joint Director AK Sharma to inspect the case file relating to the bribery case involving the agency’s Special Director Rakesh Asthana, PTI reported. The case is with the Central Vigilance Commission.
Justice Najmi Waziri asked Verma to go to the commission’s office on Thursday and inspect the file. The High Court also extended till December 7 its order asking the CBI to maintain status quo on proceedings against Asthana.
The court has allowed Verma to inspect the case file at 4:30 pm on Thursday at the vigilance commission’s office, while Sharma has been asked to inspect it on Friday. CBI Superintendent of Police Satish Dagar will be present at the time of the inspection. The case files and documents were sent to the commission after the top court directed the vigilance body to inquire against Verma.
The court also directed that documents given by Sharma be kept in a sealed cover till further orders. In the previous hearing, AK Sharma’s counsel had said he had incriminating evidence against Asthana and would place it before the court in a sealed cover. The court had then asked him to submit it to the CBI.
Senior advocates Amrendra Sharan and Dayan Krishnan, who appeared for Asthana and CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, said Sharma should give the material to the CBI.
The High Court also granted Verma a week’s time to file his response to the petitions of Asthana and Kumar seeking to quash a First Information Report filed against them.
The agency had earlier told the High Court that its investigation into the case was being hampered as certain files and documents were inaccessible because they were under the Central Vigilance Commission’s scrutiny.
The Narendra Modi government in October sent the CBI’s top two officials – Verma and Asthana – on leave following the allegations of corruption and bribery. Asthana is accused of accepting a Rs 2-crore bribe to scuttle an investigation against businessman Moin Qureshi, who is an accused in multiple corruption cases. Asthana had moved the High Court to quash the FIR registered against him in the bribery case.