CBI has been wrecked, ED no more credible: Anand Sharma

The BJP-led Central Government has wrecked investigative agencies like the CBI and ED, said Senior Congress leader and former union minister Anand Sharma on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the ED told a Delhi court that alleged middleman of AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam Michel had named 'Mrs Gandhi', but did not specify in which context the reference was made. "He has also spoken about "the son of the Italian lady" and how he is going to become the "next prime minister of the country", told ED's counsel to the court.

Responding to the same, Sharma told ANI: "I have never heard anything more absurd than what I have heard today and that too coming from ED as claimed before a court. The Modi government is guilty of a malicious and vicious propaganda."

"There is brazen and shameless abuse of agencies of the state. CBI has been wrecked and ED has no credibility left. These are actions of a government in its dying days," he added.

Sharma further said that agencies should act as per the law and alleged that no prosecution is taking place and no evidence is being produced in the case.

Following the revelations made by the ED on Michel's statements, the court sent him to seven-day remand.

The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, finalised during the previous government headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, got mired in the allegations of kickbacks.

According to the ED charge sheet, Michel had received kickbacks to the tune of 30 million Euros from AgustaWestland for the deal involving the purchase of 12 VIP helicopters. The deal, signed in 2007, was scrapped in 2013 following the bribery allegation.