Terming the removal of CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma as a planned move by the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cover up the infamous Rafale deal, members of the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) took out a rally from their party office to the CBI office at Vivek Vihar here on Friday.
Verma was sent on leave on October 24 following allegations of bribery by the agency’s Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
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Speaking to reporters APCC president Takam Sanjoy said that Modi had promised to protect the democracy of country but making the CBI director go on leave past midnight put a big question mark on the functioning of one of the most trusted institutions in the country.
“Modi should immediately resign as Prime Minister. Many a time, the BJP has been lowering the image and dignity of institutions such as CBI,” he said.
“We are not gheraoing the CBI office to defame or malign the image of the reputed institution but to protect its dignity and integrity,” Sanjoy said.
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He said Modi cannot destroy the democratic institutions of this country laid down by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. BR Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru.
“The Rafale deal case was handed over to Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) before being transferred to the CBI,” he added.
Sanjoy alleged that Asthana, an IPS officer from Gujarat cadre, was hand-picked by Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to be an informer to them.
“When the CBI director started probing corruption in the Rafale deal, BJP government framed him in a baseless bribery case out of fear,” he said.
He said that according to the Delhi Police Establishment Act, even if any of the employees of the CBI has to be terminated or sent on leave, there should be a meeting of Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and leader of the Opposition, which was not done in violation of the provisions of the Constitution.
The APCC chief further said that the offices of the President and Prime Minister have been damaged, dismantled and finished off by the present government under Modi.