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The United Front on Wednesday appeared to be preparing the ground
for ouster of Central Bureau of Investigation director Joginder
Singh by demanding a high-level probe into 'leakage' of secret CBI
documents relating to draft chargehseet against Bihar Chief
Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav to leader of Opposition Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.
CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee said a thorough investigation of the
functioning of the CBI had become imperative after the manner in
which information was reached Mr Vajpayee, on the basis of which
the leader of Opposition wrote a letter to Prime Minister warning
him of any slowdown or interference in ongoing investigations into
various scandals.
"If the CBI information reaches the BJP, then how can we be sure of
its fairness in investigations in the cases relating to the
involvement of BJP leaders in corruption cases," questioned Mr
Chatterjee.
He demand for high-level inquiry into the functioning of the CBI is
along the lines of defence preferred by Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav
himself, who has been maintaining that he is a victim of a
conspiracy hatched by the BJP in collusion with the CBI.
Other United Front leaders also expressed similar views and felt
that the manner in which the CBI director went about publicising
the intent of the investigating agency was also highly
objectionable.
Mr Chatterjee said that Mr Joginder Singh had also by his public
utterances as well as allowing leakage of information to the BJP
leader had committed contempt of court as the judicial authority
dealing with the fodder seam in Bihar had specifically directed the
CBI not to report to anyone but the court.
Moving onto Mr Vajpayee, the CPI-M veteran accused him of
"stealthily acquiring" draft chargesheet. Otherwise, he could not
have known the details of inner functioning of the CBI. To
reinforce his point, Mr Chatterjee read out from Mr Vajpayee's
letter dated April 24, addressed to the PM, in which the leader of
Opposition cited details like the document contained 11 volumes,
that there were 85 accused, that joint director had sent a 76 page
report to the CBI headquarters on April 19, and that another
investigating agency had questioned accused No 24 and that neither
the accused nor his family could explain the wealth acquired by
them. "How could Mr Vajpayee have known all these things unless he
had access to CBI documented' questioned Mr Chatterjee, adding that
"even Mr Gujral has not yet received official communication or
information relating to the chargesheet till now."
Mr Vajpayee owes it to the country and to Parliament and must
explain as to how he got hold of secret information that has been
denied to other members of Parliament, the CPI-M leader said.
He also found highly objectionable BJP president L K Advani's
'stong criticism of President Shanker Dayal Sharma's invitation to
Mr Gujral to form a Government.
"In the circumstances, it was the best decision the President could
come up with as also there was no alternative before the
President," Mr Chatterjee said, adding that the UF had chosen a new
leader by consensus, the Congress had extended its support and
since Mr Gujral enjoyed majority the President gave him a chance.
The truth was that the Bharatiya Janata Party, which did not
formally stake its claim to form the Government, could not have
been invited as it would have meant a replay of its 13-day drama
when knowing all along that it did not have the majority, the BJP
clung onto power till the last minute. And shied away from taking
vote on the floor of the House, the CPM leader said.
According to him, Mr Advani's criticism that President's decision
was "unethical" is most unfortunate since it conveys an impression
that it was unconstitutional and one that questioned the
President's bonafides.
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