The CBI on Tuesday gave a clean chit to former CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana and chief of Research and Analysis Wing Samant Kumar Goel in a bribery case registered by the agency in 2018 following a bitter feud between the then chief of the anti-corruption body Alok Verma and his deputy Asthana. Goel's name found reference in the FIR but he was not a named accused in the case.
Following the clean chit to Asthana, there is a strong buzz in the bureaucratic circles that he might be appointed as the Delhi police commissioner as the incumbent Amulya Patnaik is scheduled to retire on February 29.
Both Asthana and Verma had traded charges of corruption against each other following which the Government in a midnight action decided to bench them out from the premier agency.
The agency has also cleared DSP Devender Kumar accused in the case but chargesheeted Dubai-based businessman Manoj Prasad who was earlier arrested by the agency.
The agency has submitted before the designated court that further probe against Manoj's brother Somesh and another accused Sunil Mittal is required. Officials said the probe has not yielded any evidence to corroborate Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana's allegations against Asthana, Goel and Kumar that they received bribe to save the controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.
Asthana was booked on the allegations of IPC section relating to criminal conspiracy besides corruption and criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint filed by Sana. On October 15, 2018, the CBI had registered an FIR against Asthana for allegedly taking a bribe from Sana.
In his complaint, Sana had alleged that he paid a bribe of Rs 2 crore to Asthana to get relief in an ongoing investigation linked to Qureshi.
The alleged bribe money was paid over a 10-month period beginning December, 2017. Sana was being probed by an SIT headed by Asthana.
In his complaint, Sana had alleged that he had had met Manoj who claimed to have good relations with Asthana. Sana also alleged that Manoj''s brother Somesh would also help him in getting a clean chit in Moin Qureshi case probe from Asthana.
Asthana has denied all allegations against him and pinned the blame on the feud with Verma, leading to the registration of the case against him.
The chargesheet against the private person and clean chit to the government servants comes as the Delhi High Court had last month gave a four week deadline to complete the probe or else ensure the presence of CBI Director RK Shukla before the court on the next date of hearing on February 12.