Kim Davy issue: BJP blames Chidambaram for warrant goof-up

NEW DELHI: Holding Home Minister P Chidambaram responsible for sending a CBI team with an expired warrant to extradite Kim Davy, BJP today said it is a "big embarrassment" and wondered whether the Purulia arms drop case accused would get away like Bofors scam accused Ottavio Quattrocchi.

"Here is another blunder. CBI reached Copenhagen with an expired warrant for Kim Davy. Big embarrassment for the country. Is anybody accountable in this government," senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj twitted.

The CBI team was left red-faced after the defence counsel of Davy pointed out during the court proceedings in Copenhagen that the arrest warrant issued by special CBI court against his client has expired in January.

Referring to government's response on appointment of the Central Vigilance Commissioner as well as on goof-up in the 'most wanted' list, Swaraj said "oversight" has become the "all time excuse" for the UPA dispensation.

"They say expired warrant is an 'oversight'. Oversight in CVC papers. Oversight in India's Most Wanted List. It is an all time excuse," she said.

Later in the day, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman in a press conference said, "The country stands surprised at the level of arrogance of the (home) minister even while taking responsibility for grave errors...He should focus on his work and save the nation from further such embarrassments," she said.

She alleged UPA-II is suffering from a "governance deficit" syndrome. "A directionless drift is seen in several of the government ministries' performances. The Congress Party is generously adding to this mess," she said.

She said the Home Minister "who took pains to show that efforts were being made for greater coherence among investigative and intelligence organs of the government post 26/11, today finds the CBI going to Copenhagen, seeking the extradition of Davy with an expired warrant."

Maintaining that the Congress and the UPA have a lot to explain about the case, Sitharaman wondered whether Davy was going to get away like Quattrocchi.

"Is the CBI messing up the case? The CBI certainly does not suffer with this level of incompetency," she said, adding that the Home Ministry was moving from one "human error" to another.