CBI vs CBI: BJP damaging India's institutions, alleges Sitaram Yechury

Referring to an internal feud in the CBI between its director and deputy director, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury Tuesday alleged the BJP was damaging and destroying the country's institutions.

In a series of tweets, Yechury said the party's "nefarious" design needed to be defeated.

There was no comment from the BJP on the issue.

"The role of top BJP leadership in damaging and destroying the country's institutions is unparalleled in India's history. This is needed to further the RSS's unconstitutional agenda. Their nefarious designs have to be, and will be defeated," Yechury tweeted.

"That the CBI is particularly under the spotlight should not surprise us. After all, it was the agency investigating the BJP party president for a very serious charge. No prizes for guessing how and why his name was 'cleared' under a dark cloud," he alleged.

On October 15, the CBI registered an FIR against Special Director Rakesh Asthana alleging criminal misconduct on his part and that Sana had allegedly paid bribe of around Rs 5 crore to him, through a middleman, to get relief.

The Left leader alleged a number of "compromised officials" with dubious records were inducted into top agencies in the past four years.

He claimed it was not just due to poor governance "but due to a malafide intention to target political opposition and save their own under investigation".

Yechury also questioned the appointment of the tainted officer in the agency and asked who patronised him this official in his career.

"The official patronised by BJP and handpicked by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, was pushed into our premier investigation agency, despite opposition to his entry, only to subvert ongoing investigations and stop all cases against BJP leaders. He has now been caught red-handed," he claimed.