The Central Vigilance Commission has completed its probe into "serious" allegations of misconduct and corruption against CBI Director Alok Verma, but the exiled chief of the agency hasn't been given the clean chit, DNA has learnt.
"Certain questions have been flagged and that requires separate and further inquiry against him," said a source privy to the CVC investigation. The corruption watchdog submitted its probe to the Supreme Court on Monday.
Retired apex court judge AK Patnaik, who monitored the probe, informed the top court about the "methodology adopted" during the 2-week inquiry and also explained in details about the "fair procedure" adopted by the CVC.
The CVC looked into the allegations levelled by Special Director Rakesh Asthana, the No. 2 officer in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in his complaint of August 24 to the Cabinet Secretary. Senior officials, including Verma manipulated investigations against offenders, alleged Asthana. He also said Verma gave sensitive assignments in CBI's anti-corruption unit and policy wing to officials with questionable integrity.
In his complaint, Asthana alleged undue influence by Verma in CBI cases against Enforcement Directorate officials. A case – RC 15 of 2017 – was registered on June 23, 2017 against NB Singh, Assistant Director of ED at Lucknow, for allegedly not attaching properties under the money-laundering law. Singh was caught accepting Rs 5 lakh and a mobile phone from a complainant, alleged Asthana.
"Well before the trap, the accused was relieved and repatriated. But his controlling officer Rajeshwar Singh, Joint Director of ED, Lucknow, allowed him to continue to discharge official functions. Under pressure from CBI Director, the branch officials did not seize the phone through which he was in communication with the controlling officer(s)," said Asthana's complaint to the Centre.
Asthana said the laptop of NB Singh was not seized on the pretext that his children used the device. "The CBI conducted perfunctory search and took away only those files into custody that were handed over by ED. The motive of the illegal gratification was also not probed. It appears that the pressure was exercised to protect Rajeshwar Singh from any kind of investigation."
Asthana's letter also detailed alleged efforts by Verma to induct IPS officer Rajendra Pal Upadhyay (1991 batch/AGMUT cadre), who along with Rajeshwar Singh and ED officer Vikas Mehta allegedly used SIM cards from Nepal to avoid surveillance by Indian agencies.
The complaint also mentioned a list of six shell companies allegedly controlled by the daughter and son of CBI's Joint Director (Policy) AK Sharma, a Gujarat cadre officer.
Asthana also alleged that Verma helped cattle and gold smuggling flourish and that officials of "doubtful integrity like Ajay Bassi" were posted in the Anti-Corruption Unit III even though Bassi figured in CBI's internal watchlist for 2018. Bassi was the officer entrusted by Verma to probe the criminal case against Asthana.
After the shakeup in the CBI on the midnight of October 23, when the Centre sent both Verma and Asthana on leave, Bassi was transferred to Andaman in "public interest". Bassi has also appealed in the apex court against his transfer.
ASTHANA’S CLAIMS
Asthana’s letter detailed alleged efforts by Verma to induct IPS officer Rajendra Pal Upadhyay, who along with Rajeshwar and ED officer Vikas Mehta allegedly used SIM cards from Nepal to avoid surveillance.
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