The sudden spate in the number of Public Interest Litigations (PIL) before the Supreme Court being filed on specific issues pertaining to the investigations of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have raised quite a few eyebrows in Delhi. It all began with the with the PIL filed by Upendra Rai, fixer-cum-lobbyist masquerading as a journalist in Lutyens’ Delhi, against Enforcement Directorate’s Investigating Officer in 2G Scam. This was then followed by the PIL filed by one Rajneesh Kapur, again against the ED officer in the Supreme Court. Both the litigations did not hold water. However, it was during the hearing of the second PIL that the Government of India submitted in a sealed envelope a stale Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) intelligence note, which was enquired into, filed and closed 2 years back.
Subramanian Swamy, BJP MP and anti-corruption crusader, in both the cases, said that this was being allegedly filed at the behest of CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Swamy has also been consistently tweeting about a “Gang of Four” in the bureaucracy which has been sabotaging the anti-corruption campaign of the Government and their attempts to save tainted former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Further, Swamy even wrote a confidential letter detailing how this Gang of Four bureaucrats, Rakesh Asthana included, have been working closely with fixers to protect P Chidambaram.
It is pertinent to mention that CBI Director Alok Verma had removed the investigations pertaining to P Chidambaram and his son Karti from Asthana and the charge sheet in the Aircel Maxis case was filed by the CBI last week before the CBI special court. It is necessary to mention here that Upendra Rai has been arrested by both the CBI & ED and several incriminating documents have been found during the search of his residence. It is part of investigative records now that Rakesh Asthana was regularly in touch with Upendra Rai for quite some time.
The drama does not end here. To add to this PIL menace, a fresh PIL in the name of “IRCTC” case has been filed by one petitioner, Venkatesh Kumar Sharma in the matter pertaining to the “Fixed Tenures” mandated to the Directors of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). In the sinister garb of questioning the investigations conducted by the CBI in IRCTC hotels case, the petition, in one stroke, makes sweeping allegations against four CBI directors including the present Director. On this pretext and others, it has challenged the Fixed Tenures legally mandated to the Chiefs of these investigative agencies.
What is important to note here, again, is the invisible hand of CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana. The advocate for this PIL is not only a close friend of Asthana but also that the two of them hail from the same state, Bihar. Furthermore, in a recent closed party organised by this Advocate for his family and close friends, Asthana was his Man-Friday and was even seen welcoming all the guests.
PGurus has reliably learnt that a head of a central intelligence agency had recently briefed the PMO in detail on all these developments and proximity of Asthana with these persons engaged in PIL factory. Also to note, according to highly placed sources in CBI, Asthana has cast serious allegations, through his proxy PIL, on three former CBI Directors – Anil Sinha, Ranjit Singh, and AP Singh – all three hailing from Bihar and apparently very close to Asthana and have helped him over a period of time. This speaks volumes about Asthana’s venomous and thankless nature and also that he would go to any extent to settle scores.
What is worrisome is the news that is making the rounds in Lutyens’ Delhi that a very Senior Official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has not just been backing but also actively supporting Asthana in this pursuit of filing these litigations which are obviously not in public interest. What irks us further is what is the sinister agenda of these senior officers intend to achieve by ganging up with elements like Upendra Rai who have caused immense damage to the system. Will the PIL drama stop anytime soon and will sanity be restored to our investigative agencies?
We will be watching.
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Listen you are no one to make any one fixer or broker or someone’s protector. But just like that if you are putting baseless allegations against someone then someonr has to show you the mirror. This portal is running by swamy’s support and these are the word of swamy and Singh of ed. And if there is a gang of 4 by swamy then there is also a gang of you people ( i don’t have to tell names here) who are trying to fool people by spreading these news. I want to tell you one, read this carefully ” no one gives a damn” ok? So write whatever shit you want to write. No one cares.
This Piyush Rai’s funder Upendra Rai is now in jail.
There are people who care. So don’t bother if it doesn’t suit your taste.
We know you belong to the fixer-extortionist Upendra Rai gang. For your kind information, Upendra Rai is now cooling his heels in Tihar. Contrary to what you think, a lot of people care.
ARUN JAITELY HAS BEEN REMOVED BY MODI FROM MoF. NOW ONLY WORK IS TO ARREST RAKESH ASTHANA ALOK VERMA HASHMUKH AADHIA AND P.K.MISHRA UNDER SECECY ACT
Modi can simply brush aside these moles in financial ministry & send them packing to their state cadres & replace them with other persons. Arun Jaitely has been supporting these people to escape the punishment from the law.
It is extremely intriguing how a suspicious character like Rakesh Asthana crammed into an institution like CBI
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I am also baffled at the latest discovery that a Senior Officer of the PMO too is a part of the venomous circle
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{{{What irks us further is what is the sinister agenda of these senior officers intend to achieve by ganging up with elements like Upendra Rai who have caused immense damage to the system???!!!!}}}
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The only SINISTER AGENDA is to protect the UPA MAFIA in general & Chidambaram in particular
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Chidambaram has at his disposal 6 lakh crores of stolen & looted booty.
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Why would he hesitate to spend all of them – if that could protect him from going to jail??
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Chidu would offer even 50 to 100 crores to anybody in the BABUDOM, JUDICIARY, INVESTIGATION AGENCIES to engage in any sabotaging activity that can paralyze or delay the criminal prosecutions even by a day.
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So far Chidu has succeeded in totally paralyze the investigations, prosecution by almost 5 years.
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What would happen further depends entirely on how much alert & proactive the PM & the public spirited citizens like Dr. Swami have become.
Sir, 70 years on fangs like this helped congress stalwarts to steel and atack overseas trillions of dollars of our nation’s wealth. If they can fool the people with a fake gandhi name and a cotery that simgs in praise and still win elections it questions the very basics of democracy in a mostly illiterate nation. It is high time educated youth use their power and help people to change mindset and choisebright leaders. Problem is goons and thugs speak the lical language so well and mesmerize unsuspecting masses. That is why we have illiterate becoming MPs and MLAs and then ministers. This culture MUST change. Political process should progress inducting qalified and upright prople into mainstream then may be slowly it will change. However the corrupt bureaucracy bumch from yester years must be identified and flushed out right away to save our country from past grip.
Rather sorry state of affairs. What puzzles me and perhaps therefore suggests that these appointment including the one inside PMO must have been politics. Modi surely will not be naive to the extent that he had not intelligence due diligence on key officials. Besides ajit doval and his team would have been aware of the underworld links this dangerous gang of former UPA ministers had including their tentacles within the bureaucracy.
It appears modi wanted to watch and see how much long the play can go on and then come in towards the end of term to say internal sabotage alone was the reason he could not clamp down corruption thus seeking additional 5 years.
The bureaucracy is now building up case that they cannot function at all of hounded by CBI and their case is becoming more like those of bankers. A classic way a fixed tenure permanent govt staff can behave for not functioning fairly. Is honesty and nationalism so rare? In times of invasion the enemies May barely need bullets with these moles helping them from inside
Good assessment. To catch a thief, set a thief is the old saying which is being adopted by PM. As in movies a criminal is let loose, who will one day lead to the mafia. The tunnel dug by UPA era rodents is not yet identified and to win a political game of snakes and ladders one has to be extremely patient. Who betrayed Jesus and Julius ceaser ?
Don’t tell me that the pmo is naive in appointment of the cbi director. Can’t believe it.
Many UPA linked guys in PMO. For eg : PK Mishra. He was Secretary of Sharad Pawar. How these people get place in BJP rule? This Asthana now caught for Rs.3.8cr from Ahmed Patel firms like Sterling. Manay Gujarat cadre officers equally close with PM, Amit Shah as well as with Ahmed Patel. Look at the road blocks and delay in fixing Chidambaram, Vadra. This Govt not yet issued notice to Rahul Gandhi on keeping British citizenship. There are wheels within wheels – where Wealth, Women and Wine play a lot
This Rakesh Asthana is doing all nasty activities. It is time for PM to kick out this person who does all deals even with Chidambaram and Ahmed Patel. He is caught for taking Rs.3.9 cr in 2011 from Ahmed Patel linked firm Sterling Biotech and Sandesara Group when he was Surat Police Commissioner. This Asthana is total corrupt person.