CBI is 'controlled' by Congress, says Jaitley

Accusing the Congress of "controlling CBI", BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday said agency director Ranjit Sinha's retraction from his statement was immaterial as there was much evidence about "pliability" of the investigation bureau.

In an article on his website, Jaitley said that "truth had slipped out" during Sinha's remarks published in the Economic Times Saturday.

Sinha told the newspaper that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government would have been happy if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah was named an accused in the Ishrat Jahan case charge sheet.

However, the agency later clarified that its director was "quoted unfairly" and "completely out of context" and that it had done a fair, thorough and professional investigation in the case.

Sinha's remarks to the newspaper were expected to attract a lot of adverse comments against the government and he issued "an unconvincing clarification the he had been misquoted," said Jaitley, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

"The denial of the CBI director...is immaterial. There is voluminous evidence available with regard to the pliability of the CBI...," Jaitley said.

He alleged that the UPA had "mastered the art of manipulating the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)", and added: "A pliable person was selected to become director of the CBI."

The BJP leader said that directors were offered post-retirement jobs ranging from governorship to the membership of the Union Public Service Commission.

Jaitley said he recently wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on how senior BJP leaders "were falsely implicated by the CBI".

Jaitley said that using police and investigating agencies to fabricate cases was nothing unusual and during the Emergency almost two lakh FIRs were concocted against political activists.