The speculations have started doing round the corner that Subodh Jaiswal might take up the seat of the next CBI Special Director just after the Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar got accused in connection with bribery allegations involving its Special Director and second-in-command Rakesh Asthana.
We learned from our internal BJP sources that apart from an internal tiff between its top two officials – Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, with the duo levelling allegations of bribery against each other, there is another dispute that has created a dissect in CBI where one group of the agency is against Subodh Jaiswal of undertaking as the Special Director in Asthana’s place while the others supporting Jaiswal.
Veteran Congress leader Ratnakar Mahajan exclaimed, “An institution like CBI must stay clear of groupism. Political parties and ministers must appoint meritorious persons to take the charge of the prestigious institutions. The rift is prevalent between senior officials of CBI, therefore, the government must have taken a decision to oust them and replace some other official.”
“If the government is planning to appoint some other official in their place then they have accepted the culpability of both Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana. While appointing a third official internal lobbying is happening, then even if Subodh Jaiswal is appointed as the Special Director of CBI, a lobby will exist to work against him. Therefore, it will affect his work and the government will lose an opportunity to improve the image of CBI. If such things happen then people will lose faith in institutions like CBI and RAW,” he further criticised.
On Monday, DSP Devender Kumar got arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of businessman Sathish Sana, who had alleged to have paid bribes to get relief in the case. Sana, in his complaint to the CBI, alleged that he had paid Rs 3 crores in bribe to certain private persons who promised him to get relief in the case. Devendra Kumar was produced before Delhi’s Patiala House Court later, on Tuesday, approached the Delhi High Court challenging his arrest.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied to stay the proceedings against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana and DSP Devendra Kumar. However, on one hand, the court asked Central Bureau of Investigation to maintain status quo and not take any action against Asthana until the next hearing on Monday, 29 October. On the other hand, Devender Kumar, accused of falsifying witness statement, has been sent to CBI custody for seven days remand by the Delhi HC.
BJP spokesperson Madhu Chavan stated, “The government takes a decision regarding the appointment of CBI Special director. Therefore, as a spokesperson, I won’t make any comment about this.”
Experts believe that the reason for Subodh Jaiswal to takeover as the CBI director might be the further allegations in the hearing. CBI added five more sections under IPC, in the existing FIR against Rakesh Asthana, these are sections: 388 (extortion of money by threat), 384 (extortion), 389 (extortion of money), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document).
BJP MP Gopal Shetty asserted, “The government is capable of taking the right decision in this regard.” When asked about the PMO intervening at the right time to take action against Rahul Asthana he refused to comment about it.
It is the first time in the Indian political history that the nation is witnessing an internal war being escalated in the house of CBI under the Narendra Modi’s regime after receiving accusations of remaining the ruling government’s caged parrot since its formation during Congress’ rule in 1963 and are also attacked for not meeting the high standards of CBI’s actual motto which is integrity and impartiality.
