Congress: Govt misusing central probe agencies

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that “we are not here to cast aspersions on the functioning of the agencies”, and that “we should not demoralise the agencies”.

Without referring to any specific case, Anand Sharma said, “Parallel proceedings for one alleged offence by CBI, by Enforcement Directorate, by Revenue Intelligence has never happened.”

THE CONGRESS Monday accused the government of misusing central investigating agencies such as the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate for “targeted political vendetta”, and creating an atmosphere of “distrust, fear, and terror” in the country.

Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Anand Sharma said while probe agencies have a role to perform under the laws of the land, these “are not instruments to be abused by the government of the day for targeted political vendetta”.

Without referring to any specific case, he said, “Parallel proceedings for one alleged offence by CBI, by Enforcement Directorate, by Revenue Intelligence has never happened.”

“The agencies can coordinate their functioning. But they cannot create a situation where you have separate FIRs, separate bail provisions, and multiple cases for the same alleged offence.”

Reacting to the CBI filing a chargesheet in the Aircel-Maxis deal case, naming former Union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti as accused, Sharma last week said, “It was for the first time that multiple agencies are registering cases for the same alleged offence.”

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that “we are not here to cast aspersions on the functioning of the agencies”, and that “we should not demoralise the agencies”.

He said, “For individual grievances, there are laws and institutions…to seek relief and remedy for them.”

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