CVC may examine Alok Verma today, records bizman statement in CBI row

NEWDELHI: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), scrambling to meet the Supreme Court mandated two-week deadline to complete its inquiry into allegations levelled by CBI special director Rakesh Asthana against his boss and agency chief Alok Verma, worked on the occasion of Diwali on Wednesday and recorded the statement of one the of the key characters in the whole saga, Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Satish Babu, said officials familiar with the matter.

The commission was supposed to examine CBI chief Alok Verma on Thursday but he refused to be examined as one of the vigilance commissioners, TM Bhasin, was not present in office, which meant the examination was postponed till Friday.

“Sana Satish Babu’s examination is crucial. He was first called on Tuesday by the Central Vigilance Commission CVC and his examination continued on Deepavali day as well, and well into Thursday,” said an official having direct knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified.

According to special director Asthana, Sana Satish Babu paid a bribe of ~2 crore to save himself from CBI action in the Moin Qureshi case.

CBI was probing meat exporter Qureshi on charges of extortion. The case against Qureshi was being investigated by a special investigation team under the supervision of Rakesh Asthana.

Asthana first approached the cabinet secretary on August 24 claiming that Babu paid ~2 crore to CBI director Verma to save himself in the case.

The cabinet secretary referred the matter to CVC which has jurisdiction over CBI in matters related to corruption.