The Congress slammed Narendra Modi government for snooping and spying hours after four Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials were detained from outside the residence of CBI DirectorAlok Verma, saying that it was a "blatant and brazen" use of agencies.
"Making the agencies dance to their tune by use of brute force, extortion and murky dealings is the real character of the BJP," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference.
He added that four officers, reportedly belonging to the IB, were thwarted by the security guards and PSOs of Verma, who had been sent on leave on the directions of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
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He said that it was nothing but a "despotic, malafide and dictatorial attempt to intrude into the daily workings of premier agencies like IB, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC)".
Describing the snooping by four IB officials as a dark period for democracy, Singhvi said that the Congress with full responsibility wants to underscore this murkiness.
Four men were caught "snooping" outside ousted CBI Director Alok Verma's residence on Thursday morning .
News agency PTI quoted sources as saying the four men, who were stationed outside Verma's 2, Janpath residence from Wednesday night, were questioned and then taken away by police.
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The incident came into light following the government 's decison on Wednesday to divest Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) chief Alok Verma of his charge and Joint Director M. Nageshwar Rao was asked to take charge as interim chief.
Earlier in the day, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also attacked the government, saying the 'IB was heading the CBI way'.
"After making CBI as 'Central Burial of Investigation', the Modi government now stoops to a 'new low' -- Snooping on 'forcibly removed' CBI Director through IB," Surjewala said.
"Let everyone be forewarned -- IB is heading the CBI way!" Surjewala tweeted.
(With inputs from IANS)
