For fair, impartial probe: CBI defends decision to overhaul team probing Rakesh Asthana case

The Central Bureau of Investigation has yet again defended its decision to reconstitute the team probing the case against the agency's second-in-command Special Director Rakesh Asthana. "Team probing Rakesh Asthana’s case has been reconstituted for a fair, impartial and expeditious probe. We have put available best resources in the reconstituted team," a CBI spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also rubbished claims of the office being searched or sealed during the day. "That there were searches and sealing of any offices is totally untrue. CBI is working normally," the spokesperson added.

The CBI has overhauled the team probing allegations of corruption against Asthana, bringing in completely new faces. Changes have been effected from the investigation officer to the supervisory level. 

M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, who took over the duties and functions of CBI director late last night, appointed Satish Dagar as superintendent of police to probe the case.

At the joint director-level, V Murugesan has been brought in. He will hold additional charge as joint director, Anti Corruption-I, in the CBI headquarters.

Asthana had alleged in his complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission that Bassi was carrying out "roving inquiries" against him on the directions of Alok Verma, the CBI director who has been divested of all powers by the government along with him.

In another order, the CBI transferred Joint Director-Policy Arun Kumar Sharma and posted him as joint director of the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), probing former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case.

Senior officer, A Sai Manohar, has been transferred and posted as joint director Chandigarh zone while Amit Kumar, DIG Economic Offence-III, will hold additional charge of joint director-policy.