Proposal for top CBI officer Asthana's promotion rejected by Vigilance Commission committee

In a rare move, the Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) Selection Committee on Saturday rejected a proposal for the promotion of the CBI's Additional Director Rakesh Asthana for the post of Special Director.

Sources said the meeting, chaired by CVC KV Chowdary, put on record "issues regarding integrity clause" while rejecting Asthana's promotion, stating that his name was found in the "Diary 2011" in a recent FIR registered by his own organisation - the CBI

This decision could hamper Asthana's continuance with the CBI as his name was shot down on an "integrity clause".

The Selection Committee is chaired by the CVC and two Vigilance Commissioners, Home Secretary and DoPT Secretary and the CBI Director.

Sources say the members of the committee expressed a sense of displeasure over the urgent manner in which the meeting was convened on Saturday. Members claim they didn't get details of the meeting, or its agenda, till Friday evening.

'DIARY 2011'

On August 30, the CBI's Delhi Unit registered a detailed FIR against three senior Income Tax Commissioners for accepting bribes from the Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech and Sandesara Group of Companies.

The FIR says there existed a "Diary 2011" which was found during raids on a company. Sources say the diary contained details of monthly payout to the accused Income Tax Commissioners, and several police officials and politicians in Gujarat and Delhi. Sources indicated that the diary also contained Asthana's name.

Sources said a sealed cover with details about the probe's findings (on the bribes) was placed in the Selection Committee meeting.

The Selection Committee observed that when agency is probing the case, people mentioned in the dairy shouldn't not be in the CBI.

The decision was unanimous, as per the file notings of the meeting.

Saturday's urgently-convened meeting only had two agendas. The first: considering Asthana's promotion as Special Director. Second, the appointment of five CBI Joint Directors.

The Selection Committee deferred consideration of the appointment of the five directors, saying that the Minutes and Notice call for the meeting was received a few hours earlier. It said this practice shouldn't continue.

In 2014, the CVC rejected the appointment of Archana Ramasundaram as the Additional Director of the CBI in a similar manner. But then, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha appointed Archana and the appointment was struck down by the Supreme Court.

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