PM Modi influencing CBI investigation: Congress

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress Party on Tuesday alleged that the Prime Minister was influencing the ongoing investigation against senior officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that the habitual misuse of the CBI by Prime Minister Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah for fixing political opponents and illegal intervention tampering with the fair investigation of serious criminal cases has rendered CBI in unfathomable mess eroding its independence and credibility.

"What instructions did the Prime Minister give to chiefs of CBI and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)? Does it not tantamount to illegal and unconstitutional interference in ongoing pending investigation by the head of state, nonetheless the Prime Minister? Once upon a time, a law minister asked the CBI to show affidavit to be submitted in the Supreme Court. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj sought his resignation in parliament. Is it the prerogative of the Prime Minister to call the head of CBI and RAW?" he asked.

Further questioning the credibility of other government institutions, Surjewala said, "Depreciation, denigration, dismantling and destroying CBI and other institution is sole agenda of Prime Minister Modi. The current political dispensation is involved in an attempt to shield the accused involved. He is illegally and unconstitutionally interfering in the investigation. CBI is not the only institution decimated by the Prime Minister to serve the BJP. There is a systematic pattern to vilify, disband and destroy Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax department, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), National Intelligence Agency (NIA). These institutions are being used as captive puppets rather of the political elite rather than serving the people."

Surjewala raised suspicions vis-a-vis role of political executive along with the role of senior CBI officials. "There has been political hand behind putting a lid on Vyapam scam and giving clean chits to Madhya Pradesh BJP chief minister Shivraj Chouhan. Secondly, on May 24 the CBI special investigation team member and joint director of bank securities and fraud cell Rajiv Sigh was suddenly transferred. He was probing Rs 26,306 crore bank loot scam involving Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi. The abrupt transfer and repatriation of three officials namely- Meena Singh, joint director of special crimes division and Anish Prashad, CBI DIG and K Gopalakrishna Rao CBI SP investigating the Choksi-Modi financial scam."

He also expressed resentment on the role of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)in the entire investigation. "CVC is shying away from its duties of apprehending people involved in cases of corruption. Why is it silent on the material placed before it? Is it is also being given instructions? Isn't the PM systematically demolishing independent architecture of government agencies?" he concluded.

Earlier in the week, an FIR was filed by the CBI against special director Rakesh Asthana for allegedly accepting a bribe from a businessman, who was related to controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi case. Asthana was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was probing Qureshi's case.