CBI chief removed' due to Rafale queries: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the CBI row, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that CBI director Alok Verma was removed because the agency was raising questions over the Rafale fighter jet deal. “PM removed the CBI Director to stop him from investigating Rafale. Mr 56 broke the law when he bypassed CJI and LOP. Mr. Modi, Rafale is a deadly aircraft with a superb radar. You can run, but you can’t hide from it,” Mr Gandhi tweeted.

Earlier in the day in another tweet, Mr Gandhi said, “CBI chief Alok Verma was collecting documents relating to the Rafale scam. He was forcibly sent on leave. The PM’s message is very clear that whoever comes near Rafale (issue) will be removed, wiped out, the country and the constitution are in danger.”

Challenging the government’s claim that Mr Verma was sent on leave was based on the Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC) recommendations Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the CVC has no power to interfere in removal, appointment or reappointment, and is a supervisory body. Dr Singhvi said, “The government has removed Verma to control the premier agency and avoid the day of reckoning arising from ‘Rafale-o-phobia’. The government violated the CBI Act with its move to remove Verma.”

BSP supremo Mayawati also hit out at the central government over the prevailing situation in the CBI. In a statement she said, “More than the officials, it is the central government which is responsible for the problems in the CBI. What is happening now is a matter of grave concern for the country as it is giving rise to a lot of doubts in the minds of people and they seem to be losing faith in the CBI.”

West Bengal Chief Minister ms. Mamta Banerjee also attacked the center she tweeted, “CBI has now become so called BBI (BJP Bureau of Investigation) - very unfortunate!”

DMK president M K Stalin too slammed the government for removing Mr. Alok Verma, alleging that institutional freedom was facing serious threat under the Modi government.

“Director Alok Verma being sent on leave at a crucial time appears motivated with #RafaleScam under the scanner. The appointment of a corrupt officer as interim head of #CBI is equally questionable,” he tweeted.