Moin Akhtar Qureshi: The man behind downfall of 3 CBI chiefs

NEW DELHI: After a year of squabbling between CBI director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana, both were sent on leave — and the man at the centre of the controversy once again was Moin Akhtar Qureshi, who was also behind the downfall of two CBI chiefs, A P Singh and Ranjit Sinha.

The millionaire meat exporter from Kanpur faces multiple investigations, ranging from tax evasion to money laundering and corruption. He is also accused of spending large sums through hawala transactions and other modes to oblige government officials, including CBI officers and politicians.

His name first cropped up in 2014, when it was found that he visited then CBI chief Ranjit Sinha’s residence at least 70 times in over 15 months. Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, who now figures in the fight between Verma and Asthana, reportedly told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last year that he had paid Rs 1 crore to Qureshi to get bail for his friend in a CBI case through Sinha.

The Supreme Court came down heavily on Sinha for his meeting with accused persons or suspects and he came under the CBI scanner. The allegations against Sinha revived calls for reforming CBI and more oversight in its working. Sinha, who headed the CBI from 2012 to 2014, has repeatedly denied all charges.

Read also: Why CBI chief’s tenure is unique
Later in 2014, it turned out that Qureshi had exchanged messages with another CBI director, A P Singh, who headed the agency from 2010 to 2012. The income tax department and the ED probed the matter initially and in February last year, the CBI too registered a case against Singh to probe his links with Qureshi. The allegations cost Singh his ‘member’ post in Union Public Service Commission as he had to step down. Singh too has denied all charges against him and says the CBI is yet to even contact him.
The Qureshi probe has now cost Alok Verma his job + , as the government on Wednesday divested him of all his powers and duties.Asthana has alleged that Verma took Rs 2 crore bribe from Sana, a suspect, to give relief in the Qureshi case while Verma filed an FIR against Asthana last week alleging that the latter took Rs 3 crore from Sana.
Qureshi rose to become India’s biggest meat exporter after starting a small slaughterhouse in Rampur, UP, in 1993. He established more than 25 companies spreading across sectors including construction and fashion in last 25 years.

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