Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “illegal and criminal” conduct in forcing CBI Director Alok Verma to go on indefinite leave. Gandhi said the shake-up in the CBI is a result of “panic” in the government over wrongdoings in the Rafale jet deal which will have come to light if the CBI had started a probe in the matter.
In a frontal attack, Gandhi said the sudden removal of the CBI director is a panic reaction by the PM as the country’s premier investigating agency was about to start a probe into the Rafale deal. Gandhi said the only aim of the government in sending Verma on leave was to cover-up the Rafale deal. “They are not removing the CBI Director but are trying to hide evidence in the Rafale deal. The PM is in a state of panic. The moment the CBI inquiry begins in Rafale deal, the PM knows he is finished. He is scared that he indulged in corruption and he can get caught,” the Congress chief said.
Gandhi also said that in bypassing the Chief Justice of India and Leader of the biggest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, who along with the PM, are members of a committee that decides the appointment and removal of CBI directors, the Government had “insulted” the Constitution.
“Appointment and removal of CBI director is done by a committee of three people — PM, CJI and Leader of Opposition. But at 2 am in the night, the CBI director was removed. This is an insult to the Constitution, the CJI, and an insult to the people of India,” Gandhi said.
On Wednesday, the government, with the stated aim of ending infighting and power tussle between the two top officers of the CBI, stripped CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana of all responsibilities. In its order on Verma, the CVC stated that the CBI chief did not cooperate in an enquiry against him, based on a complaint from Asthana, despite three notices being issued.
Kharge reacts
Gandhi’s press conference was preceded by the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, a member of the selection committee of the CBI Director, writing to the Prime Minister questioning the Centre’s decision to not to convene a meeting of the panel before removing the CBI chief.
Terming the events distressing, Kharge said neither the Prime Minister nor the Central Vigilance Commissoner enjoys the requisite authority to interfere with the terms of service vested in the Director. He said the director is appointed by way of a statutory and transparent process and an executive discretion cannot replace that. He said in the letter that the decision to remove CBI director was taken by the CVC shortly after Modi’s meeting with the CBI Director and Special Director. “It is a serious breach of law,” he added. “There is no scope for an executive discretion,” he said.