Conflicting views on Gujarat case behind ugly CBI infighting?

THE CBI CHIEF ISSUED A STATEMENT THROUGH A SPOKESPERSON THAT HIS NUMBER TWO WAS UNDER PROBE IN OVER HALFADOZEN CASES

NEW DELHI: Behind the resumption of hostilities in the country’s top federal investigation agency, between its No 1 and No 2, is the belief of special director Rakesh Asthana that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths came across evidence that could have cleared his name in the Sandesara Group case but chose not to at the behest of director Alok Verma, people familiar with the matter said on the condition of anonymity.

Director Verma, who, other officials say, feels Asthana is not above board in the case, issued a statement last week through the agency’s official spokesperson that the special director was under probe in at least half-adozen cases being investigation by the agency. The CBI has also termed a complaint against

director Verma sent by Asthana to the cabinet secretary on August 24 as “frivolous” and “baseless”.

Verma didn’t reply to a phone call and a text message seeking his comments. Asthana, too, did not reply to messages.

It was only last August that the CBI took over the Sandesara case. The agency registered an FIR against three Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers on the basis of a diary that was recovered by the Income Tax Department in 2011 from the premises of the Sandesara group of companies of Gujarat.