'Something amiss with CBI'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 15. The Union Ministers, Mr. L. K. Advani and Ms. Uma Bharti, today indicated that something was amiss with the CBI. They were commenting on the charges filed against them by the agency in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

In an informal chat with reporters here, Mr. Advani wondered how the Central Bureau of Investigation could have made the charges it had (against them), and pointing to Ms. Bharti, suggested that she take a look at what was happening in her Ministry. Not to miss the cue, Ms. Bharti immediately said that judging by the incorrect charges filed against them (Mr. Advani, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi and herself), she would not be surprised if the CBI had mishandled the cases of cricketers, Ajay Jadeja and Mohammad Azharuddin. ``Jadeja maintains he is innocent, perhaps he is innocent,'' she commented. ``I am having second thoughts on the CBI report on cricket match fixing.''

Later, Ms. Bharti was asked whether the cases against Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav could have also been fabricated. ``Maybe, I have always sympathised with Lalooji,'' she said. This was after it was suggested that perhaps she was keen on declaring Jadeja innocent because leaders of a crucial ally were interested in getting him a clean chit, but perhaps the Government's credibility in the CBI remained unshaken when it came to political opponents.

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