Caravan News
NEW DELHI — The Opposition parties have sharply attacked the Modi government over big corruption allegations against the top officers in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as the issue took a new turn on Monday with the agency arresting its DSP Devender Kumar after lodging an FIR against its No. 2 and Special Director Rakesh Asthana for allegedly accepting a bribery of Rs 2 crore. Asthana is at war with the Director Alok Verma for some time.
The Opposition accused Prime minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP for using the federal agency as “weapon of political vendetta” that turned CBI into a “national disgrace”.
“The PM’s blue-eyed boy, Gujarat cadre officer, of Godhra SIT fame, infiltrated as No. 2 into the CBI, has now been caught taking bribes. Under this PM, the CBI is a weapon of political vendetta. An institution in terminal decline that’s at war with itself,” Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Monday.
The PM’s blue-eyed boy, Gujarat cadre officer, of Godra SIT fame, infiltrated as No. 2 into the CBI, has now been caught taking bribes. Under this PM, the CBI is a weapon of political vendetta. An institution in terminal decline that’s at war with itself. https://t.co/Z8kx41kVxX
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 22, 2018
The arrest of CBI official Devender Kumar on a charge of “falsification of records” on Monday comes a day after the agency registered an FIR against Asthana and several others for allegedly accepting bribes to settle a case of meat exporter Moin Qureshi, who is facing multiple cases of money laundering and corruption. The CBI has alleged that bribes were given at least five times between December 2017 and October 2018.
On 15th October, CBI registered an FIR against Asthana and several others wherein Asthana is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore in order to “wreck” the investigation of Qureshi’s case. Asthana on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking interim protection from arrest and quashing of the FIR against him.
Left leaders also accused the BJP of using CBI for its political benefit.
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his “hand-picked” Special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana was “caught red-handed”.
“The official patronised by the BJP and handpicked by Modi, was pushed into our premier investigation agency despite opposition to his entry only to subvert ongoing investigations and stop all cases against BJP leaders. He has now been caught red-handed,” Yechury tweeted.
The official patronised by BJP and handpicked by Modi, was pushed into our premier investigation agency despite opposition to his entry only to subvert ongoing investigations and stop all cases against BJP leaders. He has now been caught red-handed. pic.twitter.com/72jKosqtCw
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) October 23, 2018
Yechuri made several attacking tweets.
“Who patronised this official (Asthana) in his career? Who handpicked him for CBI despite strong opposition by the Director? If this official is now caught “fabricating” documents and taking bribes, should his political patrons in BJP not be asked tough questions too? What is their role,” Yechury asked.
Who patronised this official in his career? Who handpicked him for CBI despite strong opposition by the Director? If this official is now caught “fabricating” documents & taking bribes, should his political patrons in BJP not be asked tough questions too? What is their role?
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) October 23, 2018
He further said a number of “compromised officials with dubious records” have been inducted into top agencies under the Modi regime. “That is not just due to poor governance. But it is due to malafide intention to target political opposition and save their own under investigation,” he said.
“That the CBI is particularly under the spotlight should not surprise us. After all, it was the agency investigating the Bharatiya Janata Party President (Amit Shah) for a very serious charge. No prizes for guessing how and why his name was ‘cleared’ under a dark cloud,” he added.
That the CBI is particularly under the spotlight should not surprise us. After all, it was the agency investigating the BJP party president for a very serious charge. No prizes for guessing how and why his name was “cleared” under a dark cloud.
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) October 23, 2018
“The role of top BJP leadership in damaging and destroying the country’s institutions is unparalleled in India’s history. This is needed to further RSS’s unconstitutional agenda. Their nefarious designs have to be, and will be defeated,” he attacked in another tweet.
In a statement, the Communist Party of India expressed its concern about accusation and counter accusation made by top officers of CBI, damaging the credibility of the investigating institution.
“It is worth noting that both these officers Mr. Aloke Verma is Union cadre and Mr. Asthana were from Gujarat cadre and picked up by the Prime Minister Office to serve in CBI. At present CBI is under the Prime Minister, hence the credibility of prime minister office itself is at stake and it is alleged that CVC had not cleared their names before their appointment,” said CPI.
Trinamool Congress MP and party supremo Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee said, “Those who raise questions on others’ integrity and credibility are found to be corrupt themselves. I saw a news headline that said CBI raids CBI office. It is like a thief is going to catch another thief. There is nothing more laughable than this.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of Lalu Prasad tweeted, “Now the situation has reached this level that CBI is probing CBI. Asthana is dear to Modi ji. Once Asthana had given Modi clean chit, now he will also definitely protect him.”
अब CBI की भी CBI जाँच करने की नौबत आ गई है। अस्थाना तो मोदी जी के प्रिय हैं। कभी अस्थाना ने उन्हें क्लीनचिट दिया था, अब मोदी जी तो उसे बचाएँगे ही!
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) October 22, 2018
While Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “During the Congress rule the Supreme Court had termed the CBI a caged parrot, Modi government has surpassed the Congress record and in its greed to victimize political opponents, it has turned the agency into a national disgrace.”
Asthana, a 1984 batch Indian Police Service officer of Gujarat cadre, was brought to CBI in 2016 by the Modi government was tipped to head the agency. He had supervised the probe into the 2002 Godhra tragedy as Inspector General of Police, Vadodara range. Asthana’s elevation to the top post in CBI had evoked sharp reactions from the opposition following which he made way for Alok Verma.
The PMO on Monday summoned CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Asthana in an apparent bid to put a lid on the open war between the two officials, who have levelled bribery allegations against each other.
(With Inputs from IANS)
