The government on Wednesday denied two premier organisations of the country -- the Central Bureau of India and Intelligence Bureau -- were fighting with each other over the issue of prosecuting IB officials in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case saying the "mudslinging" was happening only in the press.
Minister of State for Home R P N Singh said there was no question of CBI and IB fighting with each other over the Ishrat fake encounter case that had taken place in Gujarat in 2004.
"The mud-slinging is happening only in the press," he told reporters in New Delhi.
Singh was responding to a question on the reported tussle between CBI and IB over prosecuting IB officials, including Special Director Rajender Kumar, who were allegedly part of the conspiracy to kill the 19-year-old Mumbra girl and three others nine years ago.
Interestingly, following CBI's reported move, IB has lodged a complaint with the government against CBI saying prosecuting its officials in such cases would be demoralizing for other officials in IB and may affect the organisation's functioning.
The minister, however, made it clear that if any official is found guilty, he should be punished but no innocent would be harassed.
Asked whether the tiff between CBI and IB would not compromise the country's internal security, Singh replied in the negative saying "both are premier institutions and nothing will happen (to the internal security".
Asked whether Ishrat was a member of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba and whether Mumbai terror attack accused David Headley had said this to NIA, the Minister said he would not like to comment on such issues as Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has already spoken on it.
Shinde had Tuesday said the home ministry cannot disclose any information given by Headley due to a confidentially pact with the US where he is currently in custody.
Shinde was replying to queries on whether Headley had in his statement to National Investigation Agency during his interrogation in US custody in 2011 spoken about alleged links of Ishrat with a Pakistan-based terror group.
Image: Minister of State for Home R P N Singh
