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The Opposition described the changes at the CBI headquarters as a “midnight political coup” carried out by the Centre. The political parties said the move was to block a possible investigation into the Rafale scam by the CBI, as its director Alok Verma started collecting the details of the Rafale deal.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Verma was forcibly sent on leave as the process of an investigation into Rafale has begun. “PM removed the CBI Director to stop him from investigating Rafale. Mr 56 broke the law when he bypassed CJI and LOP,” Rahul Gandhi said in Twitter. “Mr Modi, Rafale is a deadly aircraft with a superb radar. You can run, but you can’t hide from It,” he added.

“CBI Chief Alok Verma was collecting documents relating to the Rafale scam. He was forcibly sent on leave,” he claimed. “The Prime Minister’s message is very clear that whoever comes near Rafale (issue) will be removed, wiped out,” he alleged and added: “The country and the Constitution were in danger.”

the Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the Centre has nullified the Supreme Court order which mandates an independent, completely unbiased and autonomous CBI. “The amendments to the CBI Act Sections 4A and 4B have been nullified by the camouflage and the simple expedient, the over-clever but disingenuous method of calling it forced leave, de facto removal and de facto suspension. Supreme Court judgements, statutes of India are grist to the mill of this irresponsible Government and the uncaring ruling party Chairman, the uncaring Prime Minister,” Singhvi added.

The other opposition parties too attacked the Centre. “CBI has now become so called BBI (BJP Bureau of Investigation) - very unfortunate,” tweeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Left parties equated the issue with the Bofors case and said the Prime Minister was functioning as an agent of Reliance in this case. “In 1980s we used to raise a slogan that gali gali pe shor he Rajiv Gandhi chor he. Now it has to be changed as gali gali pe shor he, Narendra Modi chor he,” said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Addressing a public hearing convened by the Left parties on Rafale, Yechury said the midnight changes were a political coup. “Modi is trying to cover up a lot of things,” he said reiterating the demand for a JPC into the matter.

Addressing the public hearing, senior Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who had complained to the CBI on Rafale, said when Bofors was a case of taking commission, Rafale is a much more serious issue as it compromised the national security and weakened the Air Force. “If Modi is not a traitor, then who is a traitor,” asked Bhushan.

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