CBI vs CBI: Delhi HC directs CBI to submit details of Rakesh Asthana probe

The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a timeline of events indicating the progress of its investigation in the FIR lodged against former CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana..The details of the probe – which also implicates DSP Devendra Kumar and others in relation to the Moin Qureshi bribery case – are to be supplied to the Court in a sealed cover..A Single Judge Bench of Justice Mukta Gupta was hearing CBI’s plea seeking an extension of the ten-week time period granted to conclude the probe. The CBI had earlier sought a six-month extension..The Court was informed today that more time was being sought to send Letters of Requests (LoRs) to several countries in connection to the probe..Justice Gupta asked CBI to clarify when the need to send such LoRs arose during the investigation..Asthana, Kumar, as well as the alleged middleman in the case, have opposed CBI’s plea..On January 11 this year, the High Court had refused to quash the FIR lodged against Asthana, Devender Kumar and Manoj Prasad. On that date, it had directed the CBI to conclude the investigation against them in ten weeks..Asthana allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs. 2 crore in exchange for a clean chit to Satish Sana in the investigation into the Moin Qureshi case. This led to the registration of an FIR against Asthana and others..CBI was represented by ASG Vikramjit Banerjee..The matter will be heard next on April 23.