A Hyderabad-based businessman who accused CBI's Number 2 officer Rakesh Asthana of bribe-taking has asked for protection after being summoned by the investigation agency for questioning. The complainant, Satish Sana, has asked the Supreme Court for interim protection.
In his statement to the CBI, Satish Sana had said he paid a bribe of Rs 2 crore to Rakesh Asthana to be spared any action in an investigation linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi. The money was paid over a 10-month period -- starting from December 2017.
Based on the statement, the CBI had filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Rakesh Asthana, escalating a simmering row between the agency's top two officers -- director Alok Verma and Mr Asthana, the special director. Both accused each other of corruption.
Last week, both officers were sent on forced leave and M Nageswar Rao was appointed interim CBI chief in a post-midnight "coup" that was challenged by the director.
On Friday, before the Supreme Court was to take up Alok Verma's petition against his forced leave, his deputy also filed one.
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.
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