The government on Friday appointed Rakesh Asthana, once No.2 officer in the CBI, as the head of aviation security, closing a long drawn feud between him and his boss Alok Verma, who too was moved out on January 10, just 21 days before he was due to complete his tenure.

Asthana, a 1984 batch IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre, will now head the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security for the period of two years.

Along with Asthana, the CBI tenure of three other top officers -- Joint Director Arun Kumar Sharma, DIG Manish Kumar Sinha and SP Jayant J. Naiknavare, who were considered close to Verma during the fight with Asthana -- was also reduced.

Sharma was appointed the additional director general of Central Reserve Police Force.

The government on October 23 had sent Asthana on forced leave divesting him of his powers along with Verma after their clash levelling mutual allegations of corruption against each other.

Asthana had levelled serious charges against Joint Director Sharma with Central Vigilance Commission alleging that he and his family operates shell companies in partnership with dubious individuals.

Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Sharma was appointed Joint Director (Policy) in March after Verma took over as Director in February.

Sharma was also appointed the officer supervising the investigation of a bribery case registered against Asthana on October 15.

DIG Sinha was also supervising the probe into an allegation of bribery against Asthana.

First Published: Jan 18, 2019 15:25 IST