Who is Moin Qureshi, the man who has come to bite the CBI again

New Delhi, Oct 22: Meat exporter Moin Qureshi is back in focus after the Central Bureau of Investigation named its second in command, Rakesh Asthana as an accused in a bribery case.

The case pertains to Sathish Sana, a businessman facing probe in a corruption case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi in which Asthana had alleged on August 24 that Satish Sana paid Rs. 2 crore to CBI director Alok Verma to get relief in the case.

Gujarat-cadre officer Rakesh Asthana, currently number two in the CBI, has also cited instances of alleged irregularities and violation of rules and regulations against Verma.

In an unprecedented operation, the CBI registered an FIR against Asthana and his Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, and two alleged middlemen Somesh Prasad and Manoj Prasad on the basis of a statement from Sana that bribe was paid to the middlemen to get relief in repeated questioning by the Asthana's Special Investigation Unit.

Who is Moin Qureshi?

His full name is Moin Akthar Qureshi. He was educated at Dehradun's Doon School and Delhi. St. Stephen's college. He started his business in 1993, after opening a small slaughterhouse at Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. Over the years he became India's biggest meat exporter.

Over the years he diversified his business and established some 25 companies which included construction and fashion. His daughter runs a fashion store and is married to a London based chartered accountant Ajit Prasad's son, Arjun.

It may be recalled that in 2014 during the election campaign Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that due to Sonia Gandhi's protection, Qureshi was not investigated despite being on the radar of the Income Tax Department.

There were allegations that Qureshi he was close to two former CBI directors, A P Singh and Ranjit Singh. He is alleged to have exchanged messages with Singh and this had come under the scanner of the IT department and Enforcement Directorate.

Qureshi is alleged to be one of India's biggest evaders of Income Tax. The ED too is probing a case relating to around Rs 200 crore being stashed away abroad.

On the basis of examination of the documents seized during raids and telephonic intercepts, the IT department informed the ED and the CBI about Qureshi's undisclosed offshore assets. The ED has sought information about his bank accounts in South Africa, Bermuda and Jersey.

It may be recalled that in 2011 he had come under the IT department's scanner following the wedding of his daughter. He had flown in the Pakistan singer, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

The singer had been detained on his way back to Pakistan by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for not disclosing foreign currency amounting to Rs 56 lakh in cash.