In CBI net, MHA official suspended

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 18

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today suspended Under Secretary Anand Joshi, who is in CBI custody, for allegedly issuing FCRA notices arbitrarily to NGOs for financial gains.

Confirming his “suspension with immediate effect”, MHA sources said the action taken against the official was as per the rule, which stated, once arrested and kept under custody “for more than 48 hours”, suspension was the only natural course to happen.

Joshi, who had disappeared last week from his home in Ghaziabad, was picked up from the Tilak Nagar area of West Delhi on Sunday night and taken to the CBI headquarters for questioning. Subsequently, he was arrested by the agency. Joshi has, however, rejected the charge and instead accused his superiors of pressuring him to give a clean chit to NGOs.