Rahul Gandhi in Rajasthan: CBI director removed because agency questioned Rafale deal

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the CBI row, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that its Director Alok Verma was removed because the agency was raising questions over the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Addressing a public rally in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district, the home turf of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Rahul Gandhi also alleged that Mehul Choksi deposited money in the bank account of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's daughter.

“The CBI director was removed last night because the agency was raising questions over Rafale,” Rahul alleged, adding that Verma had asked for documents of the fighter jet deal.

At a press conference in Delhi, Jaitley, however, dismissed as "rubbish" allegations that Verma was removed because he wanted to look into the Rafale fighter jet deal.

He said the government's decision to remove Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana is based on the Central Vigilance Commission's recommendations.

Rahul Gandhi said that the prime minister sought votes saying he wanted to become the 'chowkidar' of the country but "the 'chowkidar' committed theft".

The prime minister did not waive a single rupee of farmers, but he wrote off bad debt worth ₹3.5 lakh crore of top 15 businessmen of the country, he alleged.

“A farmer is called a defaulter (if he is unable to repay the loan) but big businessmen with bad debt are given a red-carpet welcome and banks ask them how they can be helped,” Rahul Gandhi claimed .

“Lalit Modi is sitting in London but he gives crores of rupees to the son of your chief minister,” Rahul alleged while addressing the gathering.

Vijay Mallya left the country after meeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament and Choksi deposited money in the ICICI bank account of Jaitley's daughter, Gandhi alleged.

The Congress chief had earlier accused Jaitley of helping the fugitive diamond merchant escape the country and had alleged that the minister's daughter and son-in-law received retainership fees from the businessman.

Jaitley's son-in-law had later issued a statement, saying his law firm had returned the retainership the moment they came to know that the company was involved in a scam.