Congress charges baseless, they want to save face; says Union Minister Sadananda Gowda
Bengaluru, Aug 22: Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday rejected the Congress charge of "witch-hunt" and abuse of investigating agencies over the arrest of P Chidambaram, saying there was no need for the BJP-led Government to resort to such things.
"Practically... what they did (misuse of investigating agencies during the Congress tenure)...now they are suffering from the same phobia", the Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister said.
The whole world knows the case against Chidambaram and his son (Karti), he claimed.
"So if at all we wanted to resort to political vengeance, we would have done earlier (in the previous term).
Now everything is over, we are in absolute power and the party has got more (bigger) mandate.
Now is there any necessity for anybody to (do it)?, Gowda asked.
The Congress is levelling charges against the government as "they want to save face,'' he said.
Earlier on Thursday, the Congress came down heavily on the BJP-led government over the arrest of Chidambaram, accusing it of using the CBI and the ED as "personal revenge-seeking departments".
Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister Chidambaram was arrested last night amid high drama by the CBI and he spent the night at a agency guest house.
"Over the last two days India witnessed the broad daylight murder of democracy as also the rule of law," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
He further said that while many accused in the INX Media case have not been arrested, a senior politician has been arrested without any legal basis.
"Government is using CBI, ED as personal revenge-seeking departments for the party in power, as also those ruling the country", Surjewala charged.
Denying the Congress charges as "baseless,'' Gowda said: "This is not the time (to resort to such tactics) because we have got a beautiful mandate not only in Parliament, but in various corners (of the country), people are praising (the Modi government)".
"All party people (leaders from different parties) are joining with us (BJP).
What's the fun in simply levelling some false allegations against our...(political rivals). It's a totally baseless allegation," Gowda, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, added.
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Police arrest 5 murder accused after encounter in UP's Ballia
Ballia (UP) (PTI): Police on Sunday arrested five men accused in the murder of a roadways employee's son after a brief exchange of fire early Sunday, officials said.
Four of the accused – Nitish Yadav, Ashish Yadav, Dilip Yadav and Rahul Verma – sustained bullet injuries in their legs during the encounter in the Ubhaon area and were admitted to a hospital, Additional Superintendent of Police, Dinesh Kumar Shukla, said.
Police received information around 2.45 am that some criminals had gathered near Chainpur to carry out an offence. When a police team reached the spot, they found two four-wheelers and a motorcycle parked there, the ASP said.
"One of the accused alerted the others about the police. When asked to surrender, they opened fire on the police team with the intention to kill. In retaliatory firing, four accused were injured and arrested,” Shukla said.
A fifth accused, Anand Kumar Verma, managed to flee but was later arrested after a cordon operation.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to their involvement in the December 13 murder of Ayush Yadav (25), son of a roadways employee, who was shot in the Belthara Road area under the Ubhaon police station limits, the officer said.
Police had already arrested six accused in the case, while another accused, Rabin Singh, surrendered at the Mau city Kotwali on Saturday, taking the total number of arrests to 12.
