Centre misusing CBI, says Amar

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party on Monday charged the government with using the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to settle political scores with its rivals, and deplored the attempts to reopen TADA case against film star-turned-politician Sanjay Dutt.
SP general secretary Amar Singh, who raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, said the Attorney General (AG) has denied permission for reopening the TADA case against Dutt, who has been associated with SP. He said the AG gave his opinion against the CBI move, saying the time bar on the case has lapsed.

The law ministry, which is keen to challenge in the SC a trial court order acquitting him of charges under TADA, was firmly told by the Attorney General that facts of the case did not warrant filing of an appeal in the apex court. It be recalled that the same advice was given by Gopal Subramaniam in 2008. The opinion was given when the CBI pointed out that non-filing of an appeal could lead to some other accused claiming similar benefit. The AG, who examined the case alongside the 2007 opinion of Mr Subramaniam, had told the government that there was no need to file an appeal challenging Dutt’s acquittal from TADA charges.