SC petitioned for 'independent' probe into Asthana

NGO 'Common Cause' seeks independent probe into charges against Asthana

An non-governmental organisation called Common Cause, represented by lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan, approached the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking an independent probe into charges levelled against IPS officer, Rakesh Asthana, who, until Tuesday, was Special Director of India's top police agency.

Rakesh Asthana. PTI file photo

A day after the government divested senior IPS officer Alok Verma of charge as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Asthana as special director of the agency due to an internal feud, Bhushan asked the top court for a court-monitored Special Investigations Team (SIT) probe into the charges against Asthana.

Lawyer and Activist Prashant Bhushan.
(PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

He also sought directions to quash the notifications appointing joint director M Nageshwar Rao as CBI director as an interim measure. The counsel also challenged removal of Verma.

Bhushan mentioned the petition before a bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. He asked the court to list the matter along with Verma's petition which is to come up for hearing on Friday.

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Verma had on Wednesday filed a writ petition challenging the orders issued by the CVC and DoPT.

The court allowed Bhushan to file the petition and agreed to consider its listing urgently.

Petition filed by Prashant Bhushan

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