BJP MPs submit memorandum on ‘misuse’ of CBI to President

BJP members from both Houses of Parliament on Friday met President Pratibha Patil and submitted a memorandum over alleged misuse of CBI by the government in the Sohrabuddin encounter case and against leaders facing disproportionate assets cases.

During the meeting, BJP Parliamentary Party leader L.K. Advani explained to Ms. Patil the gist of the memorandum and why the MPs felt it necessary to complain to her about the “misuse” of CBI by the government.

Later, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters, “Our main point was that CBI should remain impartial in its investigations. It has become a weapon in the hands of the Congress.”

Ms. Swaraj enumerated cases against Congress leaders like Satish Sharma, Bofors pay-off accused Ottavio Quattrochi, and more recently the disproportionate assets cases against SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD president Lalu Prasad and BSP supremo Mayawati in which CBI allegedly went slow or played a partisan role.

However, the cases against Mr. Advani and Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi were expedited, she alleged.

“We have also been in power but never misused the CBI. It has become the working style of the Congress to get a clean chit from CBI to their leaders, corner opposition leaders and dangle it like a Damocles’ Sword in front of those leaders who fall in between to get their support,” Ms. Swaraj said.

The BJP leader insisted that the Congress-led government was misusing the CBI in the Sohrabuddin encounter case by arresting several police officers, which was “demoralising” the State police.

She also questioned the timing of the arrests and said it was done when the Swarnim Gujarat (marking 50 years of formation of the State) celebrations were on, to embarrass the Narendra Modi government.

BJP also sought a discussion in Parliament on the alleged misuse of CBI.

“We will now raise this issue during the Monsoon session of Parliament as this session is getting over today,” Ms. Swaraj said.