New Delhi: CBI chief officers Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana both have been sent on leave following the controversies in connection with Moin Akhtar Qureshi’s money laundering case.
Moin Akhtar Qureshi is millionaire meat exporter from Kanpur who faces multiple charges from tax evasion to money laundering case and interestingly he is the man behind the downfall of two prior CBI chief’s A P Singh and Ranjit Sinha as well.
The millionaire has been forced to shell out large amounts of money through hawala transactions and other methods to oblige government officials apart from CBI officials including politicians.
Qureshi was in news after reports of him visiting the then CBI chief Ranjit Sinha’s residence at least 70 times in over 15 months back came up in 2014, TOI reports.
Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana is in the picture for being the man behind the fight between Verma and Asthana.
In his statement to Enforcement Directorate (ED) last year, he said that he paid an amount of Rs 1 crore to Qureshi to get bail for his friend involved in a CBI case through Sinha.
Reacting to the reports regarding Sinha, the apex court’s strong criticism on Sinha for his meetings with accused persons or suspects brought him under CBI’s scanner.
Both Sinha and A P Singh who headed the department form 2010 to 2012 have denied all charges leveled against them so far.
According to reports, Qureshi in 2014 had exchanged messages with the then CBI director Singh but it was only last year that probe against him was initiated by ED and Income tax department last.
Singh who is a member in Union Public Service Commission has also stepped down from the position.
Qureshi’s probe has cost Alok Verma his job and taking action against him the government has suspended him from all his powers and duties on Wednesday.
Meat exporter Qureshi started from a small slaughterhouse in Rampur in 1993 and soon rose to become India’s biggest meat exporter, establishing more than 25 companies including construction and fashion in last 25 years.