PM interferes in cases illegally, is responsible for denigrating CBI: Cong

The Congress on Tuesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is responsible for "dismantling, denigrating and destroying" India's premier investigative agency and accused him of direct interference in the functioning of the CBI.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the prime minister's role in the entire matter is "under a cloud" and the country is looking for a fair, impartial and independent investigation of serious charges of corruption involving senior-most officers of the CBI and the RAW.

There was no immediate reaction from the PMO on the allegations.

Surjewala said the matter needs to be investigated and brought out as to who in the current political dispensation is involved in this entire saga and is attempting to shield the accused involved in the matter?

"Instead, the prime minister is illegally and unconstitutionally interfering in the investigation," he alleged.

 

"Why did the prime minister call the head of CBI, also head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to his residence yesterday? Was it to influence the ongoing corruption investigation against CBI and RAW officers?

"What instructions did the prime minister give to the chiefs of CBI and RAW? Does it not tantamount to illegal and unconstitutional interference by the PM in an ongoing corruption investigation involving high ranking officers of the two agencies," he asked at a press conference.

The Congress leader asked whether the prime minister's action has put the role of the Chief Vigilance Commission also under a cloud and wondered why the CVC is shying away from its statutory obligation of acting impartially and decisively to punish wrong doing.

"Is the CVC also being instructed by someone in the political executive," he asked.

"Isn't the Prime Minister, systematically demolishing the independent architecture of all premier agencies including CBI, ED, SFIO, CBDT, NIA, Income Tax Department and others? Does it bode well for India," Surjewala sought to know.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is solely accountable and responsible for dismantling, denigrating and destroying India's premier investigation agency i.e., the CBI," he alleged, adding Modi's "role has come under a cloud".

"Habitual and perpetual misuse of CBI by PM Modi and BJP President Amit Shah in fixing political opponents and illegal intervention to tamper fair investigation of serious criminal cases has landed the CBI in an unfathomable mess, eroding its independence and credibility," he said.

The Congress leader alleged that there is lurking suspicion regarding the role of present political executive at the highest level along with role of senior CBI officers.

He cited the example of former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, whose resignation the BJP had sought merely for talking to the CBI director during the UPA government.

Surjewala also alleged that the CBI is not the only institution "decimated and dismantled by a political design to subserve as the dirty tricks department of the Bhartiya Janata Party by the ruling elite and the PM".

There is a systematic pattern to "vilify, disband and destroy every institution" like the ED, Income Tax Department, CBDT, SFIO, NIA are other such institutions that are being used as 'captive puppets' in converting them 'dirty tricks department' of the BJP", he alleged.

Surjewala said a case in point is the repeated extensions being given to CBDT chairperson by the prime minister and another one is repeated extensions to earlier NIA chief and the temporary appointment of ED for years together and pending extension of the ED Director, post retirement.

All these are meant to "subvert, suppress and subjugate to serve at the whims of PM and the BJP", Surjewala alleged.