Rakesh Asthana gets addl charge of DG-NCB

New Delhi: Former CBI Special Director, Rakesh Asthana, was on Wednesday night given the additional charge of Director-General of the Narcotics Control Bureau. Asthana currently holds the position of DG in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The 1984-batch IPS officer was at the centre of the CBI versus CBI battle that broke out last year when the probe agency registered a corruption case against its own Special Director.

The infighting within the Central Bureau of Investigation saw major transfers of officials, with former Director Alok Verma and Asthana, both being removed from the agency.

The FIR against Asthana alleged that he had agreed to accept a bribe of Rs 5 crore to stop issuing summons to Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana Babu.

Asthana had then claimed that part of the bribe was actually intended for Verma and sent his complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission.

Sana was earlier arrested by the ED in connection with a money-laundering probe against controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

Earlier this year, Verma was shunted out to DG Fire Services but refused to take up his post.

Moreover, former interim CBI director Nageswar Rao was also moved out of the CBI earlier and posted as DG Fire Services.