The Government on Friday retaliated to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s charge of misusing the CBI and accused the BJP of adopting “double standards” on the issue of the investigating agency. It also clarified that the provision of creating a panel of retired judges to monitor the CBI probe was not in conflict with the present provisions of law.
“The BJP adopts double standards on the issue of CBI. In Haren Pandya case, the BJP has a different stand, in some other case it has a different stand. BJP should first decide on whether they have confidence in CBI or not,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said.
Moreover, all probes by CBI in fake encounters are being done on court directions. The Gujarat Government has already given its permission in all such cases, he pointed out.
However, Tewari refrained from commenting on reports that former Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah and senior State functionaries were aware of the alleged fake encounters saying the matter was being probed.
For his part, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that the proposal to set up a panel of retired judges to oversee the investigations of CBI to insulate it from political interference is in conformity with existing legal provisions.
“What is being proposed does not conflict with any existing legal provisions. We could explain it. But we will explain after the affidavit is filed on July 3. At this stage I cannot tell you what the affidavit contains,” Chidambaram said while briefing about the Cabinet decision to insulate CBI from external influences.
The panel of retired judges — which could be three in number — will be an “external oversight body” to looks into the internal functions of the investigation agency and would not look into cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act and these will only be monitored by the CVC as is the case now. The CBI will continue to report to courts about its investigations.
Cong leaders meet President, seek Bokhariya’s removal
The Congress took on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of corruption saying the BJP stalls Parliament demanding resignation of a Minister even if an FIR is registered against the relative of any non-BJP leader.
But when it came to Gujarat Minister Babubhai Bokhariya, he continues in the State Cabinet despite being convicted and granted three years’ jail by a court, said a delegation of Gujarat Congress leaders, who met President Pranab Mukherjee seeking action against Bokhariya. The Congress charged that the Minister was not being removed as Modi was a beneficiary of the Rs54 crore mining theft.