CBI opposes Rakesh Asthana's plea to quash FIR registered against him and his team members

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday opposed the plea filed by Special Director Rakesh Asthana to quash the FIR registered against him and his other team members. In its reply filed before the court, the agency said that the investigation is at a nascent stage. Not only has the matter been adjourned to November 14 but interim protection has also been granted to the senior CBI officer.

Republic TV has accessed the reply filed by the agency. “The entire allegations need to be investigated thoroughly. FIR and the complaint clearly disclosed the cognizance offences and accordingly the CBI has registered the FIR nad proceeded with the investigation. At this stage, the applicability of the sections mentioned in the FIR,” reads the reply filed by the agency. “The investigation is going on with an objective, subjective satisfaction under the supervision of senior level officers and at this stage it cannot be challenged about the applicability of the sanctions mentioned in the FIR.”

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The investigation agency has also clarified that there is no need to get a prior approval before booking the senior officer under 17(a) of Prevention of Corruption Act. “There is no need to get a sanction from the government before lodging the FIR.”

Representing Rakesh Asthana in the Delhi High Court senior advocate Amrendra Saran sought for adjournment on the grounds that the copy of CBI reply was not given to them till Thursday afternoon and they needed more time to file a reply. Asthana’s counsel also opposed CBI SP SS Gurm’s plea on the grounds that an individual officer cannot file a plea like this and the prosecution agency has to bring all evidence on record.

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