CBI Scandal: Explosive can of worms... `Director replied he was not getting clearance from NSA'

R. BALAJIAND IMRAN AHMED SIDDIQUI, TT, 20 Nov 2018, New Delhi: The CBI scandal has exploded on some of the biggest names in the Narendra Modi establishment with a decorated officer of the agency filing a sensational petition in the Supreme Court.

BIG NAMES IN CBI OFFICER'S PETITION 

The intervention application mentions the Prime Minister's Office, the national security adviser, the central vigilance commissioner, a Union minister, the cabinet secretary and the law secretary.

The document underscores that its contents are based mostly on statements by a businessman and that a probe alone can establish their truth.

The petition was filed by DIG Manish Kumar Sinha against his transfer in a postmidnight operation while he was supervising the probe into an allegation of bribery against Rakesh Asthana, the benched special director of the CBI who is considered close to the Prime Minister.

Sinha, a winner of the President's medal and a police medal for meritorious service, has been shifted to Nagpur from New Delhi.

In the petition, filed throu- gh advocate Sunil Fernandes, Sinha has said he has been transferred "solely with the purpose and intent to victimise" him "as the investigation revealed cogent evidence against certain powerful persons".

The top court has refused a urgent hearing but asked Fernandes to be present when it hears CBI director Alok Verma's plea, adds PTI.

The following are some of the references, reproduced verbatim, in Sinha's petition. Most of the charges are based on purported accounts by Satish Babu Sana, a businessman who has levelled the bribery charge against Asthana. Sana says money was paid to many people to "manage relief" after he was threatened and served multiple summonses in a case.

PMO Prime Minister's Office: On 23.10.2018, during evening hours, the Deputy Director (Special Unit) provided certain information. Some of the information, which I (Sinha) am able to recall, is as follows: Shri Somesh (brother of arrested middleman Manoj Prasad) told his father Shri Dineshwar Prasad (former RAW officer) that Shri Manoj got some work done during which there was exchange of money and possibly in that context Shri Manoj took name of Shri Asthana.

Shri Somesh told his father-in-law Shri Sunil Mittal that he (Shri Sathish Sana) told some work to Bhaiya (Manoj) who told him (Shri Somesh) to get it looked into -- basically to get date extended as CBI was harassing -- so he discussed with Samant Bhaiya (Samant Goel, serving RAW officer) etc.

On 23.10.2018, the Applicant (Sinha) herein was informed by DIG/DD (Special Unit) that someone spoke to Samant Goel (who was at Chandigarh at that time) and asked to help him to which Samant Goel replied that things have been managed with PMO and everything is fine. The same night the entire investigating team was shifted. (This was the night of the now-infamous midnight operation.) Contacted by The Tele- graph, PMO spokesperson Atul Tiwari said: "The matter is sub judice and we will respond to it as and when required. One should not make any insinuations for or against anyone at this time. We are trying to get details and will get back to respond or will take legal recourse." NSA Ajit Doval, national security adviser: As per Manoj Prasad (the alleged middleman whose arrest on Saptami night blew the lid off the CBI scandal), Shri Dineshwar Prasad, father of Manoj and Somesh, retired as Joint Secretary, R&AW and has close acquaintance with the present National Security Adviser Shri Ajit K. Doval.