Delhi High Court rejects CBI no 2 Rakesh Asthana's plea to quash bribery case against him, vacates interim protection from arrest

The High Court also vacated the interim protection against arrest earlier granted in favour of Asthana,  Special Director of the Central agency, saying that the case against him will continue.

Justice Najmi Waziri had reserved the judgement on December 20, 2018 on various petitions after hearing submissions of the counsel for CBI, the Centre, Asthana, Deputy Superintendent Devender Kumar, CBI director Alok Kumar Verma and Joint Director A K Sharma.

The court pronounced its verdict on the petitions of Asthana, Kumar and alleged middleman Manoj Prasad seeking quashing of the FIR. Additional Superintendent of Police S S Gurm had also filed a plea in the court to be impleaded as a party.

Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, on whose complaint the FIR was lodged and who had alleged to have paid bribe to get relief in a case, had also filed a similar plea seeking to be heard in the case.

On Thursday, Alok Verma, who was reinstated as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief by the Supreme Court, was on Thursday shunted out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-chaired committee which met again after Wednesday's meeting turned out inconclusive.

Media reports said the committee was of the view that Verma had "not acted with the integrity expected of him."

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had on Wednesday excused himself from a selection panel meeting on CBI director Alok Verma to decide on his continuation since he had himself delivered the verdict reinstating Verma as the CBI chief.

PM Modi and Justice AK Sikri, who was representing Gogoi, agreed for the removal of Verma while the committee's other member Mallikarjun Kharge was against the move.

Kharge reportedly was against the idea of removal of Verma without offering him a chance to present his verdict.

Since taking charge on Wednesday, Verma has reinstated key officers considered close to him.