Poll jolt for TD; MP's name in graft trail

Vijayawada: In a major embarrassment to the Telugu Desam, CBI special director Rakesh Asthana has stated that Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana had admitted during interrogation that a Telugu Desam member of Parliament had helped him settle a matter with CBI director Alok Verma.

In his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, Mr Asthana said that during an interrogation on August 24 Hyderabad-based Sana had admitted to a settlement with Mr Verma through the TD MP, who was raided by the Income Tax sleuths recently, to give him relief in a money-laundering case booked against meat exporter Moin Qureshi.  

Mr Asthana has been booked for allegedly accepting a bribe through a middleman. Interestingly, the FIR filed by the CBI on October 15 states that he had received Rs 2 crore as an advance through a Dubai-based middleman to give relief to Sana in the same case.  

The FIR against Mr Asthana was registered based on the confession statement and complaint filed by Sana. In his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, Mr Asthana had listed out 10 instances of alleged irregularities by Mr Verma and the alleged settlement of Satish Sana through a TD MP was one among them. 

Sources close to Mr Asthana said that that official had on September 20 moved an arrest proposal for custodial interrogation of Satish Sana for approval of Mr Verma. 

It was alleged that the CBI director had kept the file pending and tipped off Satish Sana. On September 25, Satish Sana allegedly tried to flee to Dubai from the Hyderabad airport. However, he was prevented by immigration officials due to a look-out circular issued by the local superintendent of police on Mr Asthana’s instructions.

Two days later, on September 27, Satish Sana allegedly contacted the inquiry officer over telephone saying that he had been told that the investigation against him was over and asking why there was a look-out circular for him. 

He was told to join the investigation, which he was avoiding since February 21. On October 3, Satish Sana appeared before the investigation officer and allegedly told him that the CBI director had been “managed” through a Telugu Desam MP some time in April-May.

The next day, October 4, the Enforcement Directorate called Satish Sana to their office on the pretext of examining him. 

“From October 4 to 15, Satish Sana remained in the control of the Enforcement Directorate and select officials of the CBI director during which the conspiracy was hatched to register the FIR on the basis a false complaint made by Satish Sana against Mr Asthana,” a source close to the special director claimed.

The provision to seek mandatory permission of the competent authority as provided under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was “deliberately and maliciously ignored,” the source said.