Alleging dilution of Hindu terror cases, Congress demands removal of NIA chief

NEW DELHI: Amid controversy over the alleged dilution of 'Hindu' terror cases filed under the UPA regime, Congress today demanded removal of the Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The party also demanded that all the cases being handled by the NIA be placed before the Supreme Court to ensure that there was "no pressure" on the probe agency.

"Since the Narendra Modi government came to power, we have seen witnesses turn hostile. Be it in the Samjhauta Express, Ajmer or Malegaon blasts," Party spokesman Ajoy Kumar told reporters.

He said every nation hopes that their investigative agency is honest and has integrity. "But, we are seeing how shamelessly the Modi government is undermining the NIA and using it for partisan politics".

Accusing the BJP of undermining national security, he claimed it was using the NIA to serve its petty political interests.

Alleging that pressure is being put on NIA to safeguard the RSS, he said the Modi government, in an "almost Goebellian way", is trying to tell people that Colonel Shrikant Purohit has got a clean chit in Samjhauta Express blast."

"Why is the NIA giving him a clean chit on this?" he asked.

Noting that Col Purohit is accused in the Malegaon bomb blast, he said it is "worrying" that in these cases the judicial process is being delayed.

"This shows how the Modi government was trying to divert all the discussion on this investigation?"

Stressing that in the Samjhauta Express blast case, there were four others accused along with Aseemanand, he claimed that Aseemanand had "confessed" that he got "endorsement" from senior RSS leaders.

"He had mentioned Indresh Kumar. Indreshji is a senior RSS member and questioned by the CBI".

He said in Ajmer blast case, three witnesses have turned hostile. "One Ranbir Singh is former BJP minister. Why is pressure being put on witnesses?"