BJP accuses Congress of turning CBI into party organ

New Delhi: The CBI's decision to strike off Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi - the lone surviving suspect in the Bofors gun payoff case - from its list of wanted persons sparked fresh controversy yesterday with the BJP accusing the Congress of turning the investigating agency into the "Congress Bureau of Investigation".

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) spokesperson Harsh Bahl said the agency would inform the special judge of a Delhi court, trying the 1987 case of the Rs640 million (Dh46.5 million) payoff for the Swedish howitzer guns, of the decision on April 30.

The 12-year Interpol Red Corner Notice, or lookout notice, against Quattrocchi was taken off from the wanted section of the agency's website reportedly on the legal advice of Attorney General Milon Banerjee in October last year.

According to Banerjee, the investigating agency did not have any basis to keep Quattrocchi's name listed in the Interpol Red Corner Notice.

With the CBI's move coming just two days before the third round of India's five phase general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party went on the offensive against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

Describing the move as the Congress' "gift" to Quattrocchi "by the first family of Congress that has been close to him," BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "The appeal of CBI has surpassed all civil norms. What has pained me is the patent use of highest officers. The Congress has been blatantly misusing the CBI."

His colleague Prakash Javadekar added: "This is the most shocking misuse of the CBI, which has proved it is the Congress Bureau of Investigation. The BJP is taking the matter seriously and taking it to the people."

The Congress tried to downplay the controversy saying the Bofors case was a dead horse the BJP had been flogging in every election.