Just hours after taking the acting chief charge at the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI), Nageswar Rao on Wednesday removed the entire team probing the bribery case against Rakesh Asthana.

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Rao, a 1986-batch Orissa-cadre officer, ordered the transfer of several officers, including deputy superintendent of police and investigating officer Ajay Bassi in connection with bribery allegations involving its special director Asthana.

Bassi, who was the investigating officer of the Asthana case, was transferred to Port Blair 'in public interest', a CBI statement read.

The country's top investigating agency also transferred another 12 officials, including several deputy inspector generals such as Amit Kumar, Manish Kumar Sinha, Tarun Gauba, Jasbir Singh, Anish Prasad, KR Chaurasia. Also on the list were HoB Ram Gopal, SP Satish Dagar and director generals, namely A Sai Manohar, Arun Kumar Sharma, V Murugesan and additional SP SS Gurm.

According to an ANI report, seven of the 13 transferred officials were on the same team that was investigating Asthana's case. Those included, Sinha, Gauba, Singh, Prasad, Chaurasia, Gopal and Dagar.

The country's top investigating agency also reportedly announced the new team that will look into Asthana's case. CBI DIG Tarun Gauba, SP Satish Dagar and joint director V Murugesan will probe charges against Asthana, ANI reported.

The case emanates from a statement recorded by a Hyderabad-based real estate agent Sathish Sana, whose role was being investigated by a team led by Asthana in a bribery case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

On October 15, the CBI booked Asthana and investigation officer of the case on the charges for receiving bribe from Sana through middlemen Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad.

CBI director Alok Verma had received a bribe of Rs 2 crore from Sana to help him get relief from repeated questioning, Asthana had said in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary on August 24.

As of now, both the top bosses have been asked to go on leave.

(With inputs from PTI)

First Published:Oct 24, 2018 1:27 PM IST