Oppn wants govt to probe Jagdish Tytler's role in arms deal case

Senior BJD leaders to raise issue in House, rope all other opposition parties to pressurise govt to act against Tytler

After cornering the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on the alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks, the opposition has now opened another front against the Congress party and has demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate the role of former minister Jagdish Tytler in an arms deal case.

The attack is being led by members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) who have also written a letter to CBI Director AP Singh demanding the agency to carry out an impartial probe in the case.

“Abhishek Verma has claimed that he had regularly met Jagdish Tytler in connection with the stalling of black listing of Swiss Defence firm Rheinmettall. Jagdish Tytler has claimed that his meetings with Abhishek Verma took place because of his old association. Despite all these corroborative evidence, CBI has let off Jagdish Tytler by asking some pleasantries,” said the letter sent by Members of Parliament of BJD to CBI.

Senior leaders of the BJD are also planning to raise this issue in the Parliament so that all the other opposition parties could come together to put pressure on the government to act against senior Congress party leader Jagdish Tytler.

CBI has already registered a case against Verma under the Official Secrets Act (OSA). The agency has filed three cases against Verma after his arrest in June this year on charges of allegedly receiving money from a company in Switzerland.

“CBI should not become party to anything that is highly sensitive issues. People expect impartial investigation by CBI. We demand that connection of Jagdish Tytler and Abhishek Verma be probed thoroughly by the agency," the MPs said in the letter.

Meanwhile the principal opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has alleged that CBI is working like an extend arm of the union government and it is protecting the accused.

“Abhishek Verma has been booked by CBI for allegedly taking money to stall the black listing proceedings. Since Jagdish Tytler is connected with him, it is needed to find out the involvement of in this entire sordid affair,” BJD MPs said.