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TMC MPs write to PM Modi, seek removal of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta
The letter, signed by TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Mahua Moitra, points out that Adhikari is an accused in the 2016 Narada sting operation case and Mehta is representing the CBI in the Supreme Court and Calcutta high court
Trinamool Congress lawmakers have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, seeking the removal of Tushar Mehta as the Solicitor General (SG) of India.
This comes in the wake of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari’s reported meeting with Mehta in the national Capital, a claim that Mehta has denied.
The letter, signed by party MPs Derek O’Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Mahua Moitra, points out that Adhikari is an accused in the 2016 Narada sting operation case and Mehta is representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Supreme Court and Calcutta high court.
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It also says that the mastermind of the multi-crore chit Sarada chit fund scam, Sudipta Sen, had written to the authorities levelling “grave allegations” against Adhikari. Mehta has advised and appeared for the CBI in the case.
“Such a meeting between an accused in grave offences with the SG, who is advising such agencies by whom the said accused is being investigated, is in direct conflict of interest with the statutory duties of the SG of India,” stated the letter.
It also alleged that the meeting was organised to influence the outcome of the matters where Adhikari is an accused, by using high offices of the SG. “In order to avoid any doubt in the mind of the public at large, as to the integrity and neutrality of the office of the SG, we approach you to initiate necessary steps for removal of Tushar Mehta from the post of the SG of India,” the TMC MPs wrote in the letter to PM Modi.
The SG later issued a statement denying that said meeting ever took place yesterday. He said, “Shri Suvendu Adhikari did come to my residence cum office yesterday at around 3pm, unannounced. Since I was already in a pre-scheduled meeting in my chamber, my staff requested him to sit in the waiting room of my office building and offered him a cup of tea. When my meeting was over and thereafter my PPS informed me about his arrival, I requested my PPS to convey Mr Adhikari my inability to meet him and apologise as he had to wait. Mr Adhikari thanked my PPS and left without insisting to meet me. The question of my meeting with Mr Adhikari therefore did not arise.”
Even though Adhikari could not be contacted, the BJP said that Mehta’s statement should make it clear that the meeting never happened. “There is no proof that Adhikari met the Solicitor General. Mehta has clarified that Adhikari came to meet him but he could not meet the leader as he was busy. Those who are saying that the meeting took place should now substantiate their claims. Adhikari has also said the same thing. The question is how many persons the TMC would like to be removed from posts? They want the Governor to be removed because he is vociferous about the government. Now, they want the SG to be removed. In future, they may want the PM, home minister and even the President to be removed to survive,” said party chief in the state, Dilip Ghosh
Reacting to Mehta’s statement, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who also happens to be the CM’s nephew, said only CCTV footage would reveal whether the meeting happened.
“Reports state that Mr Adhikari entered Hon’ble SG’s residence in the presence of a cavalcade of officers and stayed there for nearly 30 minutes. Does that imply that a meeting was indeed due? As the episode gets murkier, one can only hope that the truth shall surface. Mr Mehta’s efforts to dismiss speculations regarding his clandestine meeting with @SuvenduWB can only be valuable if he makes all CCTV footage public until Mr Adhikari was in his residence. Moreover, was Mr Adhikari present in the SG’s residence without prior appointment ?” Banerjee tweeted.
