Cong asks Parrikar to dissociate from elections on moral grounds

Panaji, May 12 (UNI) Congress today asked BJP opposition leader Manohar Parrikar to dissociate himself from the June 2 Assembly elections on ''moral grounds'', as he was now facing a CBI probe.

Stating that the CBI had registered a regular case on the strength of ''prima facie evidence'' on the basis of the CAG report on alleged irregularities in infrastructure works related to the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)-2004, Congress denied that the CBI acted at the insistance of party higher ups on the eve of elections in Goa.

''The CBI continues to be highly independent organisation and it proceeded on the strength of its own evidence in the case against Parrikar registered on April 27 this year on the basis of reference made by CAG in September 2005,'' according to the three AICC secretaries.

Intercting with media persons here at the Congress House, Mr Manish Tewari, who is also a noted Supreme Court advocate dealing with the CBI cases, Shantaram Naik and Sidharth Patil said ''Mr Parrikar, who always talked of morality should not contest the elections now that the CBI probe was on against him.'' The Congress, they said, had nothing to do with either the case or the CBI. Incidentally the CBI clubbed a private complaint lodged with the Panaji police station in October last year by party leader Mauvin Godhino, who is now contesting from Cortalim segment on Congress ticket.

Mr Parrikar, on the other hand, said it was a Congress' political stunt on the eve of elections in Goa. In fact, he had invited the CBI probe long back.

UNI