Court grants bail to DSP in case involving Asthana

CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, who was arrested in connection with bribery allegations involving Special Director Rakesh Asthana, was on Tuesday granted bail as the agency did not oppose his bail plea.

Kumar was arrested on October 22 by a CBI team, which was divested of powers of investigating the case following the government sending CBI Director Alok Verma and Asthana on leave.

The current team did not deem it necessary to challenge Kumar's bail plea. Kumar was sent to judicial custody on Monday after being in CBI custody for seven days.

Special CBI Judge Santosh Snehi Mann granted the relief to Kumar and asked him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of like amount.

Kumar and Asthana had challenged the FIR registered against them on charges of extortion and forgery, besides other offences. They also claimed that the FIR was registered at the behest of Verma, whom they accused of taking bribe from a businessman linked to controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

Summons likely

Meanwhile, sources said the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is likely to summon Verma and Asthana to record their statements in connection with the inquiry being conducted on the Supreme Court's direction to the former. The CVC is probing corruption allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana.

The Commission is in possession of documents related to the cases. "We have got most of the files. We are in the process of getting some files from the CBI. Nothing much can be said now as the matter is subjudice," Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Choudhary said.

When asked about possible summons to Verma and Asthana, he said, "As of now we are examining the documents and if the need arises, then all concerned would be called in."