Rakesh Asthana had accused his boss of taking bribe from a businessman. (File)
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition challenging the appointment of Rakesh Asthana to a top post in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision comes days after it ruled that Mr Asthana will stay as Special Director of the agency.
Mr Asthana is the CBI's number 2 officer after director Alok Verma.
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi told senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan that the curative plea - the last legal remedy before the top court - will be taken up on December 11.
The appointment "does not suffer from any illegality", the court had said last month. The centre had told the court that he has an "outstanding career" and is investigating over 40 high profile cases including the VVIP chopper deal, the coal scam case and money laundering.
Rakesh Asthana was sent on leave in October, hours before the government ordered the same step for his boss Alok Verma.
Ms Asthana had accused Mr Verma of taking bribe from a Hyderabad-based businessman being investigated by the agency. Mr Verma has accused Mr Asthana of the same crime.