The Supreme Court refused to quash the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as CBI special director on Tuesday. The Supreme Court said there was no violation of any rules and regulations, and upheld the Centre’s decision. The NGO Common Cause had challenged the Gujarat cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer’s appointment as “illegal and arbitrary”, arguing that his name had been found in a diary seized during tax raids on a company being investigated by the CBI.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocates Prashant Bhushan said Asthana’s appointment was illegal as his name had surfaced in a diary recovered during a raid conducted by the Income Tax department. A person working in the CBI must have institutional integrity, Mr. Bhushan said, adding that the CBI Director had also opposed Mr. Asthana’s appointment in a note.
Bhushan said the diary showed that Asthana received illegal gratification from a company. The Attorney General, representing the center, said action “cannot be taken against any officer on the basis of “unverified and unsubstantiated reports” as it would ruin his career.
Mr. Asthana headed a Special Investigation team that inquired into the 2002 Godhra train burning that triggered communal violence across the state.
He served as interim CBI chief for some time last year.The petition challenging Mr. Asthana’s appointment had referenced a news report on Vijay Mallya, the tycoon wanted in India for defaulting on crores in loans. recently registered an FIR for money laundering against the firm and some public servants.
Post Your Comments