Delhi HC allows Alok Verma to inspect case files in FIR against Rakesh Asthana

The Delhi High Court today allowed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma and Joint Director AK Sharma to inspect the case files pertaining to the FIR registered against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana in relation to a bribery case..These files, as informed by the CBI to Court, are presently with the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)..The order was passed by Justice Najmi Waziri while hearing Asthana and CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Devendra Kumar’s pleas seeking to quash the FIR registered against them by the investigating agency for allegedly accepting gratification in the Moin Qureshi case..While Verma has been granted permission to inspect the case files at the CVC Office on November 29 at 4.30 pm, Sharma will do so on November 30. The inspection, the Court directed, would be done in the presence of Superintendent of Police, Satish Dagar..Advocate Rahul Sharma, appearing for Verma, urged the Court to allow him to inspect the case files in the matter to “refresh his memory” and then file his reply to the specific allegations of mala fides made by Asthana against him before the High Court..A similar request was made by Advocate MA Niyazi, counsel appearing for AK Sharma. Sharma also revealed to the Court that he is in possession of certain “incriminating evidence” against Asthana, and wished to submit the same to Court in a sealed cover..Asking Sharma to keep the evidence in a sealed cover, Justice Waziri clarified that whether any reliance is to be placed on this material or not, would be decided by the Court in due course of time..The matter will next be heard on December 7, by which time the parties are directed to complete their pleadings in the case..Meanwhile, the order of status quo will remain in force..Asthana and Devendra Kumar were represented by Senior Advocates Amarendra Sharan and Dayan Krishnan, respectively..CBI was represented by ASG Vikramjit Banerjee, while the Centre was represented by ASG Maninder Kaur Acharya.