CBI crisis: Satish Sana, who filed complaint against CBI special director Rakesh Asthana, seeks protection from Supreme Court

In the battle between the two top officers in the CBI, the net on Hyderabad based businessman Satish Sana, who has filed a complaint against Rakesh Asthana of allegedly taking bribe, has sought protection from the Supreme Court.

The CBI special director Rakesh Asthana was booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering act and the director Alok Verma, on the complaint of Sana had filed an FIR into the case, making Asthana as the prime accused. He also included Asthana’s aide Devender Kumar, who is currently in custody and R&AW special director.

Last week, both the officers were sent on leave by the Department of Personnel and Training after government intervened in the matter concerning the premier agency of the country. But, lately Supreme Court had come in the scene as Alok Verma had filed a suit alleging that his removal or sending on leave is illegal as his tenure ends in January 2019.

The court ordered that the vigilance inquiry against Mr Verma be complete in two weeks, under the supervision of an ex-Supreme Court judge. The judges also ordered that the interim chief make no policy decisions and stick to administrative ones.

Earlier, in a post-midnight operation carried out by the government, director Alok Verma was removed and the Opposition has alleged that Mr Verma was going to investigate the Rafale deal matter and hence, government came on the backfoot and sacked the director of CBI.

The next hearing in the matter is on November 12^th, when the Supreme Court will further decide the way of the case.

Also read: CBI crisis: Rakesh Asthana, CBI Special Director can't be arrested till November 1, rules Delhi High