Filed chargesheet in Rakesh Asthana case: CBI tells Delhi HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation yesterday informed the Delhi High Court that it has filed its chargesheet in the CBI vs CBI matter which allegedly involved its then Special Director, Rakesh Asthana, DSP Devendra Kumar and others..The statement was made by Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee before a Single Judge Bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru who was hearing the Agency's plea for extension of time period to complete probe in the case..In view of the submission, the Court opined that nothing survived in the application. .In its chargesheet, Asthana and Devendra Kumar have not beem named as accused by the Agency..The case arose out of Satish Babu Sana's allegation that Rakesh Asthana received a bribe of Rs 2 Crore in exchange for a clean chit to Sana in an investigation in the case relating to meat trader Moin Qureshi..Subsequently, an FIR was registered by the CBI- then headed by Director Alok Verma- against its own Special Director Asthana, DSP Devendra Kumar and others..Shortly after the FIR was registered, CBI headquarters was raided and a couple of arrests were made pursuant to the FIR..Thereafter, the Central Government sent both the Director and the Special Director of the CBI on leave. The investigating team probing the allegations of bribery against Asthana was also overhauled..Rakesh Asthana and Devendra Kumar subsequently moved the Delhi High Court to quash the FIR lodged against him..Rejecting allegations of malafide, the High Court in January 2019 refused to quash the FIR. It, however, granted ten weeks to CBI to complete its probe..On May 31, 2019, this deadline was extended by another four months. A second extension of two more months was granted on October 9, with a clarification that no further extension would be granted..The CBI, however, moved a third applicantion for extension of time in December 2019..In January this year, the Court pulled up the CBI for not complying with its earlier orders on the time-bound investigation and directed for the appearance of the CBI Director before it on February 12, in case the probe is not competed till then.