CBI to file new report on Aseemanand confession

Not satisfied with the Central Bureau of Investigation's two-page report refuting the allegation of leaking the confessional statement of Ajmer dargah blast accused Swami Aseemanand, a Delhi court on Tuesday asked the director of the agency to file a complete report on the issue.

"It is not a complete report," additional chief metropolitan magistrate Sanjay Bansal said while asking the agency to file a fresh report by February 25. The court was not satisfied with the brief report in which the CBI had refuted the allegation that it had leaked the confessional statement.

The court also pointed out that the two-page report was not signed by CBI Director AP Singh. However, the investigating agency said the report was filed after being approved by the director. The court, however, was not satisfied and said, "Even if the CBI director has approved it he should have at least signed it but it is not reflected in the report."

The CBI refuted the claims made by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary Devendra Gupta, arrested for his role in Ajmer dargah blast case, that it had leaked the confessional statement of Swami Aseemanad to the media. "The CBI has not released the press statement to the media containing the statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Aseemananad or even the fact that he had made a confessional statement as it was felt that it would jeopardise the interest of the investigation. "However, an internal fact-finding enquiry has been instituted in the matter," the CBI said in its report.

The court had on February 4 had issued notice to the CBI and had asked its director to explain how the confessional statement of Swami Aseemanand was leaked to the media.

The court had passed the order on an application filed by Gupta seeking registration of a first information report against the CBI and Tehelka magazine under various penal provisions for the "deliberate" leakage of Aseemanand's confessional statement. The confession was recorded in Delhi by a metropolitan magistrate on December 18 last year in an in-camera proceeding.