NEW DELHI: Senior CBI officer M K Sinha Monday alleged in the Supreme Court that Union Law Secretary Suresh Chandra conveyed a message offering government's "full protection" to businessman Sathish Babu Sana, the complainant in the bribery case involving CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, a claim dismissed as "fake" by the bureaucrat.
Sinha, who was probing the FIR against Asthana, the CBI's number 2, and important cases like the Punjab National Bank(PNB) scam involving Nirav Modi, made the allegation in his petition that sought an urgent hearing for quashing his transfer to Nagpur.
He has alleged that Sana had contacted Chandra, who was then in London, and the law secretary had conveyed to him the message of Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha that the government was willing to protect him (Sana) in CBI cases.
Sana, besides being a complainant in the bribery case against Asthana, is also a key witness in the other corruption case against controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.
He claimed that Sana's office was repeatedly approached by Andhra Pradesh Cadre IAS officer, Rekha Rani, claiming that the union law secretary wanted to talk to Sana.
When contacted, Chandra told PTI," In fact, if you see, I have not spoken or taken any dictation from Cabinet Secretary. That is number one. Number two: I have not been to London. Three: I do not know either of these persons , not at all. And here is no question of my taking a message. This is all fake. If there is any other Suresh Chandra I do not know".
Sinha, who was part of the investigation team probing Asthana's role in an alleged corruption case involving Qureshi, claimed that while the proceedings were going on against CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma before the Central Vigilance Comission, Chandra waded into the issue.
Sinha said that on November 8, 2018, the office of Sana was repeatedly approached by one Rekha Rani, IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh Cadre, claiming that the Union Law Secretary, who is in London, wants to speak to Sana and the London number of the law secretary was communicated.
Sana spoke to him on Whatsapp on the evening of November 8, 2018, he further claimed.
Sinha claimed that Chandra told Sana that he was in London for some work related to Nirav Modi case and that he was trying to contact him for last 4 to 5 days in order to convey a message of Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha that the union government will offer full protection to him.
After the CVC report was submitted in the apex court, Sinha claimed that Chandra once again inquired with Rekha Rani on November 13 and asked her about the presence of Sana.