CBI made to walk the wrong path: Trinamool minister

Said to be under the CBI's scanner following the grilling of his former aide in the Saradha scam, West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra Saturday claimed the agency was "being made to walk the wrong path".

The Trinamool Congress leader also rejected all the claims reportedly made by his former confidential assistant Bapi Karim who has been repeatedly interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the multi-crore rupee scam.

"Considering the way they are creating things, CBI is now 'Creative Bureau of Investigation'. CBI is walking a completely wrong path and harassing the wrong people. They are not being able to reach the real culprits," Mitra told a Bengali news channel.

Without naming anyone, he pointed fingers at the central government.

"CBI is being made to walk the wrong path by those who are running it. This is what you call politics. There is nothing unfair in love, war and politics. Those who are behind this must remember the biggest power is that of the common man and the scenario can change anytime," said Mitra.

Mitra's comments come a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too hit out at the CBI, accusing it of carrying out propaganda against her party. She even warned the agency of a "dangerous situation" if it tried to protect the "real culprits".

Mitra, also the state sports minister however, said he was ready to extend all cooperation to the CBI.

"Whenever and whatever cooperation the CBI seeks, I will give but only after talking with my party. Even if they come to me, I will ask them to wait and will talk with my party first," he said.

Asserting that he had not heard from Karim for the last three years, Mitra wondered about his former aide's repeated grilling by the CBI.

"It has been claimed that I was the trade union president of Saradha... I challenge the CBI to show any document which might prove that I ever applied for becoming the trade union president of Saradha," added Mitra as he accused a section of media of distorting facts to suit their agenda.