A special CBI judge on Wednesday lashed out at the probe agency for its investigation into a bribery case that was alleged to involve top CBI officers, asking the investigating officer to explain why the accused with a larger role in the case were still free but the agency’s deputy superintendent of police, or DSP, was arrested.

“Why did you arrest your own DSP Devender Kumar and spoil his career when the main player (Somesh Prasad) is yet to be arrested?” Special CBI judge Sanjeev Aggarwal told the CBI.

The agency had yesterday told the court that its former special director Rakesh Asthana and DSP Devender Kumar were found to be in the clear during investigations.