CBI officer challenges transfer, claims to have evidence against Asthana

New Delhi: Senior CBI officer AK Bassi, who was investigating the agency's No 2 -- Special Director Rakesh Asthana -- in a bribery case, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday challenging his transfer to Port Blair.

Bassi stated that he has incriminating evidence against Asthana. He also sought to set up a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to investigate corruption charges against Asthana.

However, the Supreme Court refused to give an urgent hearing and said that they would hear the petition in due course of time.

On October 24, the officer was transferred to Port Blair "in public interest" in an order signed by interim CBI chief Nageswar Rao. However, the top court last week had ordered Rao from taking any major policy decisions.

Asthana had accused CBI Director and number 1 officer Alok Verma of being corrupt and filed a complaint against him. Following an ugly feud between the top two positions in the investigating agency, the government sent both, Asthana and Verma, on leave.

The Supreme Court has given two weeks time to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to complete the enquiry and submit the report to the court. The court has appointed a former apex court judge to monitor the inquiry.

(With inputs from PTI)