Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has lashed out at the government over open factional feud in country's premier investigation agency CBI. Naidu, who till recently was part of NDA pulled back no punches and blamed PM Modi for the entire controversy. 

Speaking to ANI, Naidu said, " For any position like CBI Director, it's 2 yrs term that too selected by PM, Opposition Leader&CJI or his nominee. How can you create forward centers within CBI? Total institutions are being collapsed for personal gain&political interest". He was referring to government sending CBI's 1 and 2 in leave and appointing an interim director. According to Naidu, the government is guided by political interest. Regarding Rakesh Asthana, against whom serious charges of impropriety have been brought by Alok Verma, Naidu said, " Rakesh Asthana was PM’s intelligence chief for some time. He (PM) brought him. PM has to answer now. He is responsible for Asthana, for this debacle. It is very unfair for this government". 

 The Supreme Court took full control of the leadership crisis at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by directing a two-week time limit for the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to complete its probe against CBI director Alok Kumar Verma. The probe will be under the supervision of a retired apex court judge. Till the time the enquiry goes on, the bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi restrained interim CBI director M Nageshwar Rao from passing any major order or policy decision in any case. His role is restricted to performing routine administrative meetings sufficient to keep CBI functioning. The SC even demanded in sealed cover all decisions taken on transfer of investigation and change of investigation officers, since the time Rao assumed charge in the wee hours of Wednesday.

To respond to a crisis of this nature, the SC had to take an unprecedented step. The bench comprising Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph noted, “Our order is a one-time exception in the facts of this case and should not be seen as a reflection on the performance of any authority.” 

With inputs from Abraham Thomas