Action of CBI before polls smacks of political motives: BJD

Bhubaneswar: Amid uproar across the nation over the CBI-police face-off in Kolkata, Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today termed the central investigating agency’s action as ‘unprofessional conduct’ coloured with ‘political motives’.

The party also opined for restoration of integrity and maintaining of professionalism in the issue.

“Institutional integrity has to be restored after all this infighting. We are a mature democracy and professionalism should be maintained in these issues. Even in Odisha, sudden action of CBI just before panchayat elections in the past and now before general elections smacks of unprofessional conduct and coloured with political motives,” the BJD said in a statement.

Raising the issue in Lok Sabha today, BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said, “It is something which demonstrates and also questions the institutional integrity of CBI. The manner in which the CBI has been functioning during the last 2-3 months…it does not show any professionalism.”

“We are not a banana republic. Odisha has also seen CBI officers barging into a sitting judge’s residence in the early hours of the morning. Adequate steps were also taken by the CBI just to defame the BJD in Odisha and actions were taken against BJD leaders to defame them,” he added.

Also read: CBI-police face-off in Kolkata: Here’s how the incident unfolded.