In the Special Director Asthana complaint to the CVC about the Director of CBI, the CBI slams Asthana and his motives in a press release

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday declared that their Special Director Rakesh Asthana is facing probes in “at least half a dozen cases”. His frivolous complaints to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) was to intimidate the CBI officers probing him[1].

Did Asthana try to save Lalu?

The CBI, in a statement also said that in the IRCTC scam involving the former Railways Minister and his family, Asthana is also linked with the petitioner in Public Interest Litigation rejected by Supreme Court. This CBI press statement dated September 21, 2018 is a “dark chapter” in the history of CBI, where the organisation has to respond a Special Director’s fake complaints against its Director to the CVC, which has no right to entertain such frivolous complaints. This is the outcome of uncouth activities happening in the CBI, where it’s real controlling authority, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is responsible.

CBI was responding to the newspaper reports on Rakesh Ashtana’s complaint to the CVC against CBI Director Alok Verma, obviously planted in Economic Times by none other than Asthana[2]. The question is why the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) forwarded this frivolous complaint of Asthana to CVC K V Chowdhury, who himself is embroiled in several issues? This shows that certain Gujarat Cadre officers were playing dirty tricks against the honest CBI Director Alok Verma.

Now CBI has struck back against the tricks of some Gujarat cadre officers in the PMO who support corrupt Rakesh Asthana, who was caught for accepting Rs.3.8 crores in 2011 from Congress leader Ahmed Patel linked Sandesara Group and Sterling Biotech companies[3].

“Certain allegations have been made in a newspaper published from New Delhi referring to a complaint filed before the Central Vigilance Commission against the Director CBI. The newspaper story has subsequently been carried in several electronic channels. It is unfortunate that baseless and frivolous allegations are being made publically without proper verification of facts to malign the image of the Director CBI and intimidate the officials of the organization.

“It is stated that the CVC has sought for certain case files from the CBI on the basis of a complaint filed by the Special Director, CBI. In its response to the CVC letter, the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of CBI has pointed out that the complaint is an attempt by the complainant to intimidate the officers of CBI who are investigating his role in at least half a dozen cases. The CBI said that the CVC should opine on the maintainability of the complaint and consider it malicious and frivolous in order to protect the integrity of the organisation” said CBI in a press statement.

PMO passed a midnight order to appoint Asthana as Spl. Director

It is a wonder as to why the PMO allowed the promotion of Rakesh Asthana via a mid-night order. That night Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was not in Delhi and it shows that Gujarat cadre IAS officers working in PMO tried to save their buddy Rakesh Asthana, whose promotion was blocked by CBI Director citing Sterling Dairy payoffs in writing to the CVC[4].

In the statement the CBI also mentioned that the dirty tricks of Rakesh Asthana by floating a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Lalu Prasad Yadav related IRCTC Scam. “CBI has pointed out in its letter to CVC that the issue relating to the IRCTC case was raked up earlier also and brought before the Hon’ble Supreme Court on two occasions. The matter was dismissed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The petitioners were also in possession of information from highly confidential internal documents, which is a serious offence. Irrespective of the maintainability of the complaint, CBI has provided most of the files as requested by the CVC and the remaining will be submitted soon. There is no substance in the media reports that CBI is not cooperating in the enquiry. The allegation of preventing raids against the accused in the IRCTC case is absolutely false. The investigation of the case has resulted in filing a charge sheet before the designated court. This could not have been possible without the explicit approval of the Director CBI,” said CBI in the statement.

At the outset of all these murky events, one thing is clear. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clean up the crooks in the administration. He must fix the crooked officers who delayed many cases related to anti-corruption involving National Herald, Chidambaram family cases involving Aircel-Maxis scam and Black Money probes and Rs.5000 crores bank fraud of Sandesara Group cases involving Ahmed Patel.

The PM should fix the crooks in the PMO controlling transfers and postings. These crooks are supporting rogue officers of the Rakesh Asthana-kind.

References:

[1] CBI says Asthana’s plaint against its chief is malicious, frivolous – Sep 21, 2018, The Hindu Business Line

[2] CBI chief Alok Verma under CVC lens after second-in-command Rakesh Asthana files complaint – Sep 21, 2018, The Economic Times

[3] Ahmed Patel directly received money from Sterling-Sandesara Group, confesses the accused hawala operator Johny – Aug 5, 2018, PGurus.com

[4] Government to face wrath of Supreme Court on Promotion of Asthana as CBI Special Director? Oct 24, 2017, PGurus.com