The Congress and the BJP Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's order for a time-bound vigilance inquiry against CBI Director Alok Verma, days after the government sent him and his second-in-command Rakesh Asthana on forced leave after their infighting escalated.
While hailing the Supreme Court order, the Congress ramped up its pressure on the government with party chief Rahul Gandhi leading a massive opposition protest in the capital against what he called "illegal" removal of the CBI director and demanding Verma's reinstatement.
Gandhi and scores of Congress leaders courted arrest following the protest march which was joined by several opposition leaders including Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav, CPI's D Raja and TMC's Nadimul Haque.
The Congress organised the protests across the country to demand reinstatement of Verma, who along with Asthana, was sent on forced leave two days ago after their worsening feud sparked a serious crisis in the country's premier probe agency.
Hearing a petition filed by Verma challenging the government's order divesting of his powers, the Supreme Court Friday set a two-week deadline for the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to complete its probe against Verma, and appointed a former apex court judge to monitor the inquiry.
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The court also barred interim chief of CBI M Nageswara Rao from taking any policy decisions or any major decision. The court fixed November 12 as the next date of hearing of the case.
Reacting to the apex court's order, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Friday said the government has no interest for or against any individual and is keen only on maintaining institutional integrity of the investigative agency.
"The Supreme Court asking the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into corruption allegations against CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma is an extremely positive development," he said.
Jaitley said recent developments have eroded the credibility of the CBI and the "CVC, in the interest of fairness, had passed an order that till investigation or inquiry is pending against the two top officers of the CBI, they must step aside and recuse themselves".
Chief spokesperson of the Congress Randeep Surjewala too hailed the order by the Supreme Court.
"Truth prevails in Supreme Court. Modi Government's sinister attempt to capture CBI through lackeys falls flat. A slap in face of tyrants who wanted to pin the last nail in CBI's independence. CVC can't act as Modi Government's pawn but would be supervised by a SC judge to act fairly," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.
He said the government's interim director was stripped of all powers except daily administration. This was a commentary on a failed government, he said.
"Today, Modiji was again reminded that 'Modi Rule' fails miserably before 'Rule of Law'. Brazen attempts to interfere, infiltrate or capture institutions will be banished. People of India will now remind you in 2019 that bad Governments come with an expiry date."
The Congress has been seeking to link the action against Verma to what it called his keenness to probe the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet deal, a charge firmly rejected by the government.
Reiterating his allegations against the prime minister on the Rafale fighter jet deal, Gandhi again called him "chowkidar" and said he had "deposited Rs 30,000 crore in Anil Ambani's pocket".
"He has stolen money from the Indian Air Force and the youth, and the entire country understands this. The prime minister can run but he cannot hide from the truth," Gandhi told reporters after courting arrest at the Lodhi Colony police station.
There were no immediate reactions from the Prime Minister's Office on Gandhi's allegations. While Ambani has been consistently denying the allegations, the BJP has accused Gandhi of manufacturing lies everyday on the Rafale deal.
"The truth will come out," Gandhi said, adding that removing the CBI director will not impact the truth.
Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale jets, have joined hands with Ambani's Reliance Defence to fulfil offset obligations of the deal.
In his address at the protest march, Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destroying institutions such as the CBI, the Election Commission and the Enforcement Directorate.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal too welcomed the Supreme Court's "intervention".
"Welcome intervention by the hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the CBI matter. In the interests of the nation, hope that institutional integrity of CBI will be upheld & powers that be will understand that their illegal acts will not go unchallenged," he tweeted.
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