Let the Prime Minister explain8217;

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 9: Criticising the serious lapses in the investigation of the Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case, the Congress in the Lok Sabha today demanded removal of CBI director R K Raghvan. The CPIM also raised the issue and insisted that Prime Minister A B Vajpayee owed an explanation as the CBI functioned directly under him.Congress Chief Whip Priya Ranjan Das Munshi referred to the report in The Indian Express today to say that the CBI had to explain why it couldn8217;t trace the man whom the judge had called a 8220;key witness8221; in the case. The Indian Express had tracked down Virender Prasad, who worked with the Mattoos, in his Siwan village yesterday and his version of the events differed from the CBI8217;s.

During the zero hour, Das Munshi demanded that the PM give a statement 8220;on the lapses of the country8217;s premier investigating agency.8221; Munshi told the House that though the crucial witness was present all along in his village in Bihar, the CBI failed to produce him in thecourt.

Quoting The Indian Express report, Munshi said that this witness had clearly declared that neither was he in hiding nor was he ever told that he was crucial to the trial.

Roopchand Pal of the CPIM agreed with Munshi: 8220;It is clear that the CBI in this case is hand in glove with the accused.8221; There was no response from the Treasury benches. CPIM8217;s Somnath Chatterjee said that the CBI had been exposed and it showed that it was still very much working under the control of the Executive.