by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
"Asthana Apna Aadmi Hai”
Taped conversations blow the lid off in CBI
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Oct. 30
"Asthana Apna Aadmi Hai” this is how Somesh Prasad, a Dubai-based businessman told his father-in-law who had gone to collect money from Satish Babu Sana. The money was to be paid to the CBI' special Director Rakesh Asthana as Sana was facing CBI cases and wanted the help of the agency to dilute the same. The father-in-law who is a prominent Delhi lawyer was somewhat scared. But Somesh Prasad told him not to worry as “Asthana is our man”.
One of the WhatsApp messages found in January 2018 in these telephone intercepts says “he can't take panga (Mess ) with them”. The messages were exchanged between the two brothers and Somesh was impressing that Sana should not take “Panga” with Asthana.
None of the players realized that someone in the CBI was listening to this telephonic conversation. Somesh Prasad was sitting in Dubai and monitoring the entire payment plan and his brother Mahesh Prasad was camping in Delhi to complete the deal. Hyderabad-based businessman knew d Prasad brothers as he had businesses in Dubai too. Sana had sought their help to get out of the CBI cases and Prasad brothers were using their clout in the agency.
But they had no clue that their telephone conversations are being tapped Asthana's rival and CBI director Alok Verma. Verma had deputed A K Bassi, head of the anti-corruption unit of the CBI, to investigate the link between Sana and Prasad brothers and he tumbled upon this conversations.
The lid was blown off in the Supreme Court today when Bassi appealed against his transfer to Andaman and Nicobar Islands on October 24. He said this was "malafide and derails a sensitive probe" and added that allegations against Asthana are "grave". He also produced evidence in support of his statement before the apex court. AK Bassi has submitted in court details of WhatsApp messages and calls that he alleges prove Mr Asthana took bribe from a businessman, Sathish Sana, who wanted to be spared CBI summons in an investigation. He further sought an urgent hearing on his plea against the transfer on November 2. The top court said it will look into it.
Though Bassi did not share the evidence, it transpires that phone conversation tapes between Somesh Prasad and Asthana, Asthana's phone conversations with Mahesh Prasad and couple of other players are part of it.
The time-line of phone conversations between Asthana and RAW's number two Sumant Kumar Goel has also been submitted.
The leaking of these conversations and time-line of phone tapes are aimed at exposing how the CBI's number two was involved in taking bribes from Hyderababd businessman Satish Babu Sana through Mahesh Prasad. Sathish Sana has said in a statement to the court that Rakesh Asthana demanded a bribe of Rs. 5 crore from him. More dirt will come out in the days to come from the closet of CBI as war is taking a turn for the worse.
Ends
