The Quint has learnt from sources in the CBI that an internal inquiry has been started by the agency to investigate the revision of the Lookout Circular (LOC) against Vijay Mallya. Even though the CBI has officially denied the formulation of any such committee, it is likely to take action against the concerned official in the coming week.
The BJP chief Amit Shah in a statement at the India Today Conclave said that the matter of Mallya leaving the country is being investigated.
He should not have gone. If he was right, he should have stayed here. Our courts are very liberal.Amit Shah, BJP Chief
The CBI spokesperson denied comment on this statement. In October 2015, the CBI issued an LOC seeking the ‘detention’ of Mallya, which was later revised to just seeking ‘information’, in November 2015. So far the CBI has been defending the revision of the LOC on the grounds that ‘detention’ not required.
Shah’s statement certainly raises several questions on the CBI’s conduct.
Moreover, on Thursday, during a press briefing, a senior official in CBI said that the agency stands by its LOC seeking ‘information’. He also added that the CBI knows what it needs to know about Mallya when asked whether the agency knows his whereabouts.
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