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https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...-be-our-director-says-cbi/article25325153.ece
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday said Alok Kumar Verma, who has been divested of all responsibilities pending an inquiry by the Central Vigilance Commission , continues to be the agency’s Director.
Rakesh Asthana also remains the Special Director, said agency spokesperson Abhishek Dayal. The clarification came a day before the petitions challenging the October-23 order against Union Minister are to come up for a hearing in the Supreme Court.
As ordered by the Central Vigilance Commission, Union Minister cannot exercise any function, power, duty and supervisory role in respect of cases already registered, or required to be booked or inquired into under the Prevention of Corruption Act, till its probe concludes. However, all the facilities available to him subsist.
Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said the additional charge of CBI chief to Joint Director M. Nageswara Rao has been given only as an interim arrangement pending the CVC inquiry into allegations and counter-allegations. “This is to ensure that the agency’s day-to-day functions are looked after smoothly,” Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said.
Asked if the recent turn of events would influence the extradition case in the United Kingdom, Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said: “We are conscious of the fact that any fall in the credibility and image of the agency has a potential to impact the important cases we are fighting internationally…whatever we are doing is to ensure that credibility of the agency does not suffer.”
Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal also said that a media report -- stating that several crucial files, including the one pertaining to the Rafale deal, were under ISRO Chairman’s consideration when he was divested of the charges -- was false. He said all the files were accounted for.
On Thursday, the interim Director held a meeting with the new team that has taken over the probe into the case of alleged extortion and corruption against Union Minister and others. They have already been instructed to carry out the investigation “expeditiously and in a fair manner”.
The former case investigating officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police A.K. Bassi, who was transferred to Port Blair soon after Mr. Rao took over , was at the CBI headquarters on Thursday reportedly to hand over the case documents.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, who was part of the previous team in connection with the FIR against Union Minister is still in CBI custody.
***********
NEW DELHI , October 25, 2018 21:46 IST
Updated: October 25, 2018 21:46 IST
Centre had told the Supreme Court that Rakesh Ashtana was unanimous choice.
A year ago, the Centre submitted in the Supreme Court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), then led by Alok Verma, had itself proposed the name of Rakesh Asthana for appointment as the agency’s Special Director on July 6, 2017.
This was one of the reasons listed by a Supreme Court Bench of Justices to dismiss a challenge by Common Cause a non-governmental organisation to Rakesh Asthana’s appointment.
Almost a year later, Union Minister has revealed how he had expressed “reservations” about the appointment.
In his petition before the Supreme Court against the divestment of his duties as Union Minister has mentioned that Rakesh Asthana was appointed by the government “despite the pendency of cases against Union Minister and the reservations expressed in this regard by the petitioner ISRO Chairman”.
Contradicts submissions
ISRO Chairman current revelation contradicts oral submissions made in court by the government on November 24, 2017 that ISRO Chairman had “fully recommended Rakesh Asthana strongly for appointment as CBI Special Director, and continues to do so”.
In fact, the government had submitted that it was a unanimous decision taken by the selection committee, chaired by the ISRO Chairman to Central Vigilance Commissioner, to recommend Rakesh Asthana as CBI Special Director. “Rakesh Asthana is eminently suitable to hold the position of Special Director, CBI. Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana has a body of work including the AgustaWestland case, Hassan Ali, Moin Qureshi, Paramount Airways, chit fund scam, etc,” Attorney-General had submitted orally to the Supreme Court Bench of Justice Bench.
The court concluded that it was true that Union Minister had “furnished a secret/confidential letter dated October 21, 2017 enclosing an unsigned note on M/s Sterling Biotech Ltd. and related entities and the entries in the note referred, inter alia, to one Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana”. The Bench said it had found nothing to prove that the ‘Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana’ mentioned in the note and Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana were the same person.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday said Alok Kumar Verma, who has been divested of all responsibilities pending an inquiry by the Central Vigilance Commission , continues to be the agency’s Director.
Rakesh Asthana also remains the Special Director, said agency spokesperson Abhishek Dayal. The clarification came a day before the petitions challenging the October-23 order against Union Minister are to come up for a hearing in the Supreme Court.
As ordered by the Central Vigilance Commission, Union Minister cannot exercise any function, power, duty and supervisory role in respect of cases already registered, or required to be booked or inquired into under the Prevention of Corruption Act, till its probe concludes. However, all the facilities available to him subsist.
Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said the additional charge of CBI chief to Joint Director M. Nageswara Rao has been given only as an interim arrangement pending the CVC inquiry into allegations and counter-allegations. “This is to ensure that the agency’s day-to-day functions are looked after smoothly,” Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said.
Asked if the recent turn of events would influence the extradition case in the United Kingdom, Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said: “We are conscious of the fact that any fall in the credibility and image of the agency has a potential to impact the important cases we are fighting internationally…whatever we are doing is to ensure that credibility of the agency does not suffer.”
Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Abhishek Dayal also said that a media report -- stating that several crucial files, including the one pertaining to the Rafale deal, were under ISRO Chairman’s consideration when he was divested of the charges -- was false. He said all the files were accounted for.
On Thursday, the interim Director held a meeting with the new team that has taken over the probe into the case of alleged extortion and corruption against Union Minister and others. They have already been instructed to carry out the investigation “expeditiously and in a fair manner”.
The former case investigating officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police A.K. Bassi, who was transferred to Port Blair soon after Mr. Rao took over , was at the CBI headquarters on Thursday reportedly to hand over the case documents.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, who was part of the previous team in connection with the FIR against Union Minister is still in CBI custody.
***********
NEW DELHI , October 25, 2018 21:46 IST
Updated: October 25, 2018 21:46 IST
Centre had told the Supreme Court that Rakesh Ashtana was unanimous choice.
A year ago, the Centre submitted in the Supreme Court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), then led by Alok Verma, had itself proposed the name of Rakesh Asthana for appointment as the agency’s Special Director on July 6, 2017.
This was one of the reasons listed by a Supreme Court Bench of Justices to dismiss a challenge by Common Cause a non-governmental organisation to Rakesh Asthana’s appointment.
Almost a year later, Union Minister has revealed how he had expressed “reservations” about the appointment.
In his petition before the Supreme Court against the divestment of his duties as Union Minister has mentioned that Rakesh Asthana was appointed by the government “despite the pendency of cases against Union Minister and the reservations expressed in this regard by the petitioner ISRO Chairman”.
Contradicts submissions
ISRO Chairman current revelation contradicts oral submissions made in court by the government on November 24, 2017 that ISRO Chairman had “fully recommended Rakesh Asthana strongly for appointment as CBI Special Director, and continues to do so”.
In fact, the government had submitted that it was a unanimous decision taken by the selection committee, chaired by the ISRO Chairman to Central Vigilance Commissioner, to recommend Rakesh Asthana as CBI Special Director. “Rakesh Asthana is eminently suitable to hold the position of Special Director, CBI. Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana has a body of work including the AgustaWestland case, Hassan Ali, Moin Qureshi, Paramount Airways, chit fund scam, etc,” Attorney-General had submitted orally to the Supreme Court Bench of Justice Bench.
The court concluded that it was true that Union Minister had “furnished a secret/confidential letter dated October 21, 2017 enclosing an unsigned note on M/s Sterling Biotech Ltd. and related entities and the entries in the note referred, inter alia, to one Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana”. The Bench said it had found nothing to prove that the ‘Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana’ mentioned in the note and Special Director, CBI Rakesh Asthana were the same person.