Delhi HC Grants CBI 2 More Months to Probe Rakesh Asthana in Bribery Case

Slamming the CBI for asking for more time, Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who was hearing the matter, said it will not be able to give further time to probe them.

New Delhi: In a significant development, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted two more months to the CBI to finish the probe in corruption charges against its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana and Deputy SP Devendra Kumar in a bribery case. The move from the court came after the probe agency asked for more time to complete the investigation.

Delhi High Court grants two months time to the Central Bureau of Investigation after the agency sought more time to complete the investigation into the corruption charges against its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana and Deputy SP Devendra Kumar. pic.twitter.com/h9U7lEvNWS

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2019

Slamming the CBI for asking for more time, Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who was hearing the matter, said it will not be able to give further time to probe them.

Court says no further time will be granted to CBI&pulls up the agency for seeking extension; says "ask your officers to work a little harder". Investigation can't be allowed to drag on&CBI should've concluded investigation,court observes. CBI says substantial investigation over. https://t.co/QKRzFukXgB

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2019

The CBI had on September 30 moved the court seeking time to complete the investigation into the corruption charges levelled against the duo. The agency also moved the court on the expiry of the four months extension granted to it to investigate the case.

Appearing for the CBI, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee said the Letters Rogatory has been sent to the US and UAE and the response is awaited due to which the investigation could not be completed.

He also urged the court to grant three more months to complete the probe, but his plea was opposed by the counsel for the three accused — Asthana, DSP Devender Kumar and businessman Manoj Prasad.

Prior to this, the CBI had filed a status report in March mentioning the progress made in the probe and sought more time from the court which was allowed.

The CBI is investigating Asthana and Devendra Kumar for allegedly accepting the bribe in exchange for a clean chit to Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana. Earlier, Asthana had also accused former CBI Director Alok Verma of trying to falsely implicate him in the case, following which the Centre sent both on leave last year.