CBI officer probing Vyapam, Asthana repatriated

New Delhi, July 10: Tarun Gauba officer in charge of the probe against Rakesh Asthana, a former Special Director at the agency transferred under controversial circumstances earlier this year, was removed from his position by the central government today.

"Approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) is hereby conveyed for premature repatriation of Shri Tarun Gauba, IPS (UP:2001), DIG, CBI to his State Cadre," the notice read.

Gauba, a 2001-batch IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh cadre who had also probed Vyapam cases, has been sent back to his cadre, according to a government order.

He had replaced MK Sinha as the head of the investigation team, with the latter being transferred in "public interest". As many as 13 officers were also transferred around the same time.

Incidentally, CBI Additional Director Nageshwar Rao was shunted out barely a week ago. He was appointed as the head of the investigation agency last October, after the then CBI Director Alok Verma was sent on an indefinite vacation by the government.