(With inputs from PTI)

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NEW DELHI: The CBI has arrested its Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar in connection with bribery allegations involving its Special Director and second-in-command Rakesh Asthana , officials said Monday.Kumar, who was earlier the investigation officer in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, has been arrested on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of Sathish Sana, who had alleged to have paid bribes to get relief in the case, they said.It is alleged that a statement of Sana was purportedly recorded on September 26, 2018 by the investigating team headed by Asthana, but it emerged in the CBI probe that on that given day the businessman was in Hyderabad, they claimed.In his statement, Sana had purportedly said that he had in June this year discussed his case with Telugu Desam Party's Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh who, after speaking to the CBI director, had assured him that he would not be summoned again."From June onwards, I was not called by the CBI. I was under the impression that investigation against me is complete," he is believed to have said.The CBI has now alleged that Kumar had fabricated this statement as an "afterthought...to corroborate the baseless allegations made by Asthana against CBI director Alok Verma to the CVC (Central Vigilance Commissioner)", they claimed.They said the agency was also looking into the alleged role of other members of the special investigation team headed by Asthana.The agency also clarified that it didn't take permission from from the government under section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act while filing a case against Asthana as it did not apply in this instance.On allegations pertaining to CBI additional director AK Sharma's family having shell companies in partnership with undesirable contact men (UCM), CBI says "it has no comments to offer" as CVC is already looking into those charges.Asthana, who was booked by the agency on bribery charges in an unprecedented action, had complained against CBI director Verma on August 24, 2018 that he had taken bribe of Rs 2 crore from Sana to give him relief in the matter.Yesterday, the investigating agency had filed an FIR under sections pertaining to Prevention of Corruption Act amongst others against Kumar and three others, including agency's second-in-command Asthana.As per information shared by SS Gurm, superintendent of police, New Delhi’s CBI AC III unit, ‘a regular case was registered against Asthana and Kumar as well as against private persons Manoj Prasad, Somesh Prasad and other unknown public servants and private persons.’The case against Asthana was registered by the investigating agency on October 15 on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, alleging the officer had allegedly helped him to get a clean chit.The CBI has also arrested Prasad, believed to be a middleman, when he returned from Dubai on October 16.Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Asthana, who is heading the Special Investigating Team handling crucial cases such as AgustaWestland chopper scam and loan fraud by business tycoon Vijay Mallya. The team is also probing the Moin Qureshi case.