New Delhi: Reports claiming that Rakesh Asthana, the special director at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), diverted Rs 20 crore from the Police fund to the BJP election fund, are doing the rounds.

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Some media organisations reported that a retired police sub-inspector wrote an email to the CBI saying that Asthana diverted the fund from the Police Welfare Fund when he was posted as Surat police commissioner — a time when Narendra Modi was the Gujarat Chief Minister.

Grabbing the opportunity, Congress, without verifying jumped into the fray, with its spokesperson Shama Mohamed tweeting it out.

Many senior journalists also spread the fake news about Asthana.

However, Surat police, rubbishing the entire event, said in a press release that it was an “ utterly false and baseless accusation” and confirmed that no amount has been transferred to the BJP fund during the tenure of Asthana.

Asthana is in loggerheads with CBI Director Alok Verma since both of them are fighting neck-to-neck in a corruption case. The CBI filed a bribery case against special director Rakesh Asthana, who had written to the government, listing several charges against his boss Alok Verma.