Mamata Banerjee's comment comes in the backdrop of the ongoing CBI controversy. (File)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has become the BJP's policing agency. The Trinamool Congress chief's remarks came after two top officers of the country's premier investigating agency were sent on leave amid an ongoing tussle in the CBI.
Rakesh Asthana, the no. 2 officer of the agency, took the CBI to court yesterday, asking for the charges against him to be cancelled and for protection from arrest. The Delhi High Court did not cancel the case, but sent notice to the CBI director and said Rakesh Asthana would not be arrested at least until it heard the case next Monday.
"CBI has now become so called BBI (BJP Bureau of Investigation) - very unfortunate!" Ms Banerjee tweeted.
The government has divested CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana of all powers amid the ongoing spat between them, sources said, calling it the first such case in the history of the agency.
The prime minister-led Appointments Committee on Tuesday night, made Joint Director M Nageswara Rao the interim director with immediate effect, a government order said.
According to the law, the CBI director is appointed for a fixed tenure of two years.
Earlier, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala wondered if Alok Verma was "sacked" for his keenness to investigate the "layers of corruption" in the Rafale deal and sought an answer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
There was no immediate comment either from the government or the ruling BJP on the allegations levelled by opposition parties.
Disclaimer: NDTV has been sued for 10,000 crores by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group for its coverage of the Rafale deal.