CBI crisis: Opposition parties cry foul as Modi govt defends action

Opposition parties on Wednesday launched an attack on the government over the removal of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director, Alok Verma. The Congress described the decision as the “last nail” in the independence of the agency but the Centre defended its move as “absolutely essential” to maintain the agency’s institutional integrity.
 
The Opposition said the government “bypassed” the three-member committee comprising the prime minister (PM), the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, responsible for selection and removal of the CBI chief.
 
Congress President Rahul Gandhi said Verma was sent on leave as he was collecting documents relating to the Rafale “scam”. Other leaders from the party lent him vocal support. “The systematic dismantling and denigrating of the CBI is now complete. Once a premier investigating agency…  (the) CBI’s integrity, credibility and reliability are buried and dead,” said Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

 
The government defended its actions strongly.
 
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asserted that the government’s decision to send Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana was based on the recommendations of the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
 
Jaitley dismissed allegations that Verma was removed because he was collecting documents related to the Rafale fighter jet deal as “rubbish”.
 
“The fact that Opposition parties are saying we know what agency was going to do next itself casts a doubt on the fairness process. I don’t believe what they are saying is true, but if they did have access to what was going on in the mind of a person that itself demolishes the integrity of the person they are trying to support,” he said.
 
Other Opposition leaders also joined the war of words.
 
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also attacked the government on the issue, alleging that the Centre’s “vindictive, casteist and communal policies” have put not only the CBI, but other agencies as well under similar problem.
 
DMK president M K Stalin slammed the government for removing Verma, alleging that institutional freedom was facing serious threat under the Narendra Modi government.
 
“Director Alok Verma being sent on leave at a crucial time appears motivated with #RafaleScam under the scanner,” he tweeted.

 
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the government removed Verma to protect its “handpicked” officer Rakesh Asthana, Verma's deputy who has also been sent of leave.
 
“The illegal removal of CBI chief by the Modi government to protect their own handpicked officer, against whom serious charges of corruption are being investigated, points to attempts at a serious cover-up to protect his direct links to the BJP’s top political leadership,” tweeted Yechury.
 
Congress spokesperson and lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the government was building a “fraud equivalence” between cases of corruption against Verma and Asthana. He said Asthana has had a chequered record with seven cases of corruption against him, but the CVC did not investigate any.
 

What we know
 
October 15: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma accuses deputy Rakesh Asthana of taking bribe of Rs 30 million Asthana denies accusation; accuses Verma of taking Rs 20 million bribe, stopping raids against Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad

October 22: CBI conducts raid at its own headquarters in New Delhi, arrests DSP Devender Kumar

October 23: Asthana approaches the Delhi High Court. Court refuses to squash FIR; says he will not be arrested till next Monday

October 24: In an overnight move, government sends Verma and Asthana on leave; appoints 1986 Odisha cadre IPS officer M Nageshwar Rao as chief

A special investigation team will investigate cases against them and they have been divested of all powers. Verma moves the SC against the move

The feud

The feud began when Verma opposed Asthana’s appointment as special director. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) heard the complaints but cleared Asthana for the post. He was handling cases related to Vijay Mallya, Agusta Westland, and land acquisition in Haryana. Non-government organisation, Common Cause, also filed a PIL against Asthana elevation, but the SC rejected the case. Verma told the CVC that a number of cases were pending against Asthana; the latter requested the government to intervene