The FIR against Rakesh Asthana depends on the testimony of a witness, Satish Sana.
The raging war within the Central Bureau of Investigation -- between its director Alok Verma and his number 2 Rakesh Asthana -- has intensified, with the agency chief moving to suspend his rival. Sources told NDTV that Mr Verma has moved a note against Mr Asthana - a 1984 batch Gujarat cadre officer who has been dubbed "the PM's blue-eyed boy" by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. While CBI spokesperson refused to comment on the matter, Mr Asthana also didn't respond to NDTV.
Sources said the note was prepared over the weekend and vetted by the agency's Director of Prosecution. In the note, sent to the government today, Mr Verma makes the case that Rakesh Asthana continuing in CBI "is a source of demoralization" for the other officers.
Seeking immediate suspension of Mr Asthana, the CBI chief told the government that he is the subject of two cases and numerous probes, sources said. Apart from the Moin Qureishi case, he is also the subject of another investigation -- that of the Sterling Biotech case, which is being investigated for huge loan default.
According to sources, the letter goes on to say that there could be more cases against the Special Director and that his role is "incompatible with anti-corruption".
The latest development comes in the wake of the agency's arrest of Mr Asthana's team member, Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, the investigating officer in the money laundering case involving meat exporter Moin Qureishi. The agency had earlier filed a bribery case against Mr Asthana, who, in response, wrote to the government listing several charges against his boss, Mr Verma.
The FIR against Mr Asthana depends on the testimony of a witness, Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana.
Satish Sana has alleged that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs. 5 crore to Mr Asthana to be spared. While Devinder Kumar's record of Sana's testimony -- saying he had paid a bribe of Rs 2 crore to the CBI director was declared a "fraud" today by the agency. Mr Sana's testimony against Mr Asthana, alleging that he sought a Rs 5 crore bribe for relief in the case, has been cited in the First Information Report.
Mr Asthana alleged that it was the CBI chief who took that bribe but framed him, because he prevented Satish Sana from skipping the country. Earlier this month, Mr Asthana also accused the CBI chief of trying to frame him in the case of Gujarat-based company Sterling Biotech.