BJP carrying out politically-motivated probe into AgustaWestland case: Congress

New Delhi, Dec 29: Accusing the government of carrying out a malicious propaganda, the Congress on Saturday referred to AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel's statement before his extradition that Indian probe agencies were pressuring him to name a member of the Gandhi family and alleged it was a "fixed match".

Congress spokesperson R P N Singh, during a press conference, said that in Dubai, when journalists had talked to Michel's lawyer, he had given a statement about how government agencies were trying that he name a particular family.

Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said that in fact Michel had said before his extradition "on record in court that he was being pressured to name a member of the Gandhi family and that is what they were planning and have done".

"The motive is clear. What he said is prophecy and this has happened. This is an outright fixed match fraudulently aimed at planting something on the Gandhi family," Vadakkan said. Michel was produced before a special court Saturday which extended his ED custody by seven days.

Asked about the development, Singh said, "We have seen what the BJP has been doing in this matter." On the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) claim that Michel had spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he was going to become the next prime minister of the country, he said, "The BJP scriptwriters are working overtime."

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal, Singh said action should be taken against him as there was "complete proof". He alleged that the Modi dispensation was "trying to pressure government agencies to name a person".

"But the person who has done the biggest 'chori' (theft) cannot be spared," the Congress leader said, in an apparent reference to the opposition party's allegation against Modi of corruption in the Rafale deal.

"We know that elections have come and they (BJP) do not have any issues, so through the ED, they are trying to put pressure on people," he said.

Slamming the government over the issue, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters that, "The Modi government is guilty of a malicious and vicious propaganda."

"There is brazen and shameless abuse of agencies of the state," he said. Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4.

PTI