The Delhi High Court on Friday (January 11) dismissed the plea filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Director Rakesh Asthana and others seeking quashing of FIR against them on bribery allegations.

The high court has directed the CBI to conduct an investigation against Rakesh Asthana and others within 10 weeks. Asthana has been given two weeks of protection from arrest to file an appeal against the judgment. Rakesh Asthana, the Special Director, who was seen as the front-runner for the post of CBI director, has been accused of taking bribes in the Moin Qureshi case.

The court also vacated its interim order granting protection to Asthana against criminal proceedings.

Justice Waziri said that permission for prior sanction to prosecute Asthana and Kumar was not required considering the facts of the case.

The high court dismissed the petitions filed by Asthana, Kumar and Prasad challenging the FIR lodged against them. Asthana was booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption and criminal misconduct under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The decision to file an FIR against Rakesh Asthana was taken after Manoj Prasad, a Dubai based businessman was arrested by CBI from the Delhi Airport. The complainant, in this case, is Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Satish whose role was being investigated by the CBI Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Rakesh Asthana in the Moin Qureshi corruption case.

Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, on whose complaint the FIR was lodged, had alleged having paid the bribe to get relief in a case. Sana had also made allegations of corruption, extortion, high-handedness and serious malpractice against Asthana.