CBI reshuffles team probing case against Asthana
New Delhi, Oct 24 : The CBI has overhauled the team probing allegations of corruption against its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana, bringing in completely new faces, officials said Wednesday.
Changes have been effected from the investigation officer to the supervisory level, they said.
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, they said.
Dagar has earlier probed cases against Dera Sachcha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. His first supervisor will be Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Tarun Gauba, who investigated the Vyapam cases.
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.
The Supreme Court had reposed faith in Murugesan in the coal scam probe, officials said.
The previous investigating officer, Deputy SP A K Bassi, has been shunted to Port Blair in "public interest" with "immediate effect", they said.
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.
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Chikkamagaluru: A man allegedly impersonating an IAS officer managed to gain the confidence of officials and staff at the district hospital in Chikkamagaluru, attending meetings and public events before his identity came under suspicion.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, the accused, identified as Mithun, introduced himself as the Commissioner of the National Health Mission (NHM) and district in-charge for Chikkamagaluru. He also claimed to be a native of Chikkaballekere village in Kadur taluk.
Believing his claims, District Surgeon Dr Chandrashekar reportedly introduced Mithun to other officials. Photographs of Mithun attending meetings at the district hospital and being felicitated by religious leaders at a Basava Tatva Peetha programme have since circulated widely on social media.
Dr Chandrashekar said he had trusted Mithun based on his conduct and presentation. He said he initially believed that Mithun was an IAS officer from a rural background who had cleared the examination through hard work, and only later realised that he was allegedly an impostor.
The incident has also triggered allegations from the Lisa Foundation, which has sought action against Dr Chandrashekar. The organisation claimed that Mithun was introduced to medical shop owners through him and alleged that Mithun had promised a ₹1.80 crore contract for supplying medicines to Primary Health Centres in the district. The foundation has demanded suspension of the District Surgeon and a detailed inquiry.
Chikkamagaluru Medical College Dean Dr Ravi said Mithun was not known to him and had not conducted any official meetings. He said he had seen Mithun once in the District Surgeon’s room and was told that he was a probationary IAS officer, but had doubts about his identity.
Following the incident, BJP workers staged a protest in the city, accusing the administration of negligence and demanding action against the District Surgeon for introducing the alleged fake officer.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered at the Amruthahalli Police Station in Bengaluru based on a complaint filed by medical shop owner S G Satish. The complaint states that Mithun was introduced through Dr Chandrashekar and that ₹36 lakh was allegedly paid as a bribe in his presence, along with an additional ₹5 lakh transferred to Mithun’s bank account.
Dr Chandrashekar said he has appeared before the police to give his statement as his name figures in the complaint. He also claimed that Mithun had cheated him and said he would file a separate complaint with the Chikkamagaluru police.
