The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using investigating agencies to target political rivals and trying to “fabricate false evidence” against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland case.
“Never before in the history of India has a Prime Minister been found complicit in gaining ‘false evidence’ against Opposition leaders to seek revenge,” Congress communication chief Randeep Surjewala told a press conference.
The party was reacting to a report in a private television channel that claimed that the CBI/ED was pressuring key accused, Christian Michel, in the AgustaWestland case to implicate former Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The case refers to the multi-crore deal to purchase VVIP helicopters where alleged kickbacks were paid to Indian officials and middlemen.
‘Malicious conspiracy’
Two days ago, key accused Michel was arrested in Dubai. His advocate, Rosemary Patrizi Dos Anjos and Mr. Michel’s sister, Sasha Ozemen, told the news channel that Indian government officials were forcing him [Michel] to sign a false confessional statement naming Ms. Gandhi in return for complete exoneration.
“This shocking expose is also a testimony to the disease prevailing in CBI/ED prostrating before the Prime Minister to collect fake and false evidence with the single-minded aim of tarnishing the reputation of Opposition leaders and serving the political masters as a ‘captive puppet’ & a ‘willing tool’ of malicious conspiracy,” Mr. Surjewala said.
