CBI says the decision to alter the circular was taken at appropriate level
New Delhi/ WEB DESK
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of Vijay Mallya escape and alleged the PM’s blue-eyed man in the CBI, AK Sharma, let the fugitive off.
In a caustic tweet, Gandhi wrote: “CBI Jt Director, AK Sharma, weakened Mallya’s “Look Out” (sic) notice, allowing Mallya to escape. “The same officer was in charge of Nirav Modi & Mehul Choksi’s escape plans. Ooops…investigation!”
Gandhi alleged that Sharma, a Gujarat-cadre officer, is the Prime Minister’s blue-eyed-boy in the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The Congress later alleged that BJP was more loyal to fraudsters than common people and demanded a thorough probe into the escape of 23 fugitives “who fled under PM Modi’s watch”.
CBI Jt. Director, A K Sharma, weakened Mallya’s “Look Out” notice, allowing Mallya to escape.
Mr Sharma, a Gujarat cadre officer, is the PM’s blue-eyed-boy in the CBI.
The same officer was in charge of Nirav Modi & Mehul Choksi’s escape plans. Ooops…
investigation!— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 15, 2018
Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill alleged the government organised the escapes Mallya, Nirav and Choksi.
Shergill alleged banking frauds involved Rs 90,000 crore and “that BJP allowed 23 fraudsters to escape”. The list of defaulters includes Mallya, Modi and Choksi, Pushpesh Baid (Rs 38.46 crore), Ashish Jobanputra (Rs 804 crore), Sunny Kalra and Aarti Kalra (Rs 10.99 crore), Jatin Mehta (Rs 4,625 crore), Nilesh Parekh (with Umesh and Kamlesh Parekh) among others.
Defending Sharma, its number three in command, the CBI said the decision to alter the circular was taken at the appropriate level as a part of process and not individually by the officer as alleged.
Calling the allegations against Joint Director AK Sharma “baseless”, CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said they have mentioned “many times” that the change in the notice against Vijay Mallya was done as there was no sufficient ground to arrest or detain him.