CBI seeks extension of six months to conclude investigation against Rakesh Asthana and ors

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a six-month extension on the time granted to them to conclude the probe in the FIR lodged against former CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana and DSP Devendra Kumar in relation to the Moin Qureshi bribery case..The matter was listed today before a Single Judge Bench of Justice Mukta Gupta..Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee informed the Court that the CBI is seeking an extension of six months to complete the investigation. The agency was earlier granted ten weeks to finish the probe..The hearing was, however, deferred after the Court was informed that only the application filed in Devender Kumar’s case had come on record..The applications filed in the cases against Rakesh Asthana and middleman Manoj Prasad are yet to get clearance from the Registry, it was clarified..The CBI also submitted the status report in the case in a sealed cover. The report was perused by the Court and then re-sealed..Appearing for Devender Kumar, Advocate Amit Anand Tiwari strongly opposed the CBI’s plea for extension..The Court has also allowed Asthana, Devender Kumar and Prasad to file their responses to the plea..On January 11 this year, the High Court had refused to quash the FIR lodged against Asthana, Devender Kumar and Prasad. On that date, it had directed the CBI to conclude the investigation against them in ten weeks..The matter will be heard next on April 4..Asthana allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs. 2 Crore in exchange for a clean chit to Satish Sana in an investigation in the case relating to meat trader Moin Qureshi. This led to the registration of an FIR against Asthana and others..Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, Click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.