Satish Sana, complainant against CBI special director Rakesh Asthana, granted security cover by SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed police to provide adequate security to businessman Satish Sana, the complainant in the alleged bribery case against Rakesh Asthana. 

The Hyderabad-based businessman moved the SC Monday seeking a stay on the notice issued by the agency summoning him for interrogation. Fearing for his life, he also sought police protection. 

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices U U Lalit and K M Joseph refused to stay CBI summons against Sana and also rejected his plea for the recording of his statement in presence of retired former SC judge A K Patnaik. 

The CBI had booked Asthana on October 15 on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana, facing probe in a 2017 case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, claiming the special director had allegedly helped him to get a clean chit from the probe agency.

It alleged that Devendra Kumar, the investigating officer (IO) in the case, was repeatedly calling him to the CBI office to harass and compel him to pay a bribe of Rs 5 crore for giving him a clean chit.

CBI later filed an FIR against Asthana and Kumar which has been challenged by both in the Delhi High Court. 

In an unprecedented chain of events, the Centre sent the sparring CBI chief Alok Verma and Special Director Asthana on leave on October 23 after their spat went public. Joint Director M Nageshwar Rao was appointed as the interim chief.

Challenging the government notification divesting him of his duties and powers and giving charge to Rao, Verma approached the SC.

The top court on October 26 directed the CVC to complete its probe into bribery allegations against Verma under the supervision of a retired apex court judge Justice AK Patnaik in two weeks while restraining interim chief M Nageshwar Rao from taking any policy or major decisions during the period.

The court also issued notices to the CBI, CVC and the government to be replied by November 12 when the next hearing is scheduled to take place.