Naresh Agarwal terms Moily's 'India should not become like Russia' remark worrisome

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Agarwal on Saturday said Oil Minister Veerappa Moily's 'India should not become like Russia' remark is worrisome as it puts into question the transparency of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"Is Veerappa Moily trying to say that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is Aurangzeb? If this is what he means, then this matter is worrisome. We believe in the CBI, it works according to law and is transparent," said Agarwal.

Referring to the FIR against Kumar Mangalam Birla by the CBI, Moily had yesterday said investigating agencies and the judiciary must ensure that India does not become like Russia.

"Because, ultimately India cannot become just like Russia, where investors are not prepared to go and billionaires are put behind the bars. That should not happen here. The job of ensuring that India does not become like Russia rests not just with the government but also with the judiciary and the CBI," Moily said.

"After all, we are not in the regime of Aurangzeb. We are in the regime of rule of law. When rule of law is concerned it applies to government, it applies to Supreme Court, it applies to everybody," he added.

The CBI had earlier on October 15 filed FIRs against Kumar Mangalam Birla and former Union Coal Secretary Prakash Chandra Parakh for alleged irregularities and criminal conspiracy in allocation of two coal blocks in Orissa in 2005.

The case relates to the allotment of the Talabira-II coalfield in Odisha to Hindalco Industries in 2005.