P Chidambaram denies Sushma Swaraj’s charges on CVC

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday denied Sushma Swaraj’s charge that he misled the Selection Committee in the appointment of Chief Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas.

Chidambaram in a statement taking exception to Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj’s Tuesday’s remark on the CVC, said she was trying herself in knots by making thoughtless allegation in the appointment of the CVC and warned the matter was sub judice.

Here is text of the letter of Chidambaram:-

?I take exception to the statement by Ms. Sushma Swaraj, Hon?ble Leader of the Opposition, that I had ?misled the Selection Committee? and told the Committee that Shri Thomas had been ?acquitted?. Actually, Ms. Swaraj is tying herself in knots by making thoughtless allegations.

Firstly, if no sanction for prosecution had been granted since 1999 against Shri P.J. Thomas (as admitted by her) how could the case have proceeded to trial or ended in an acquittal of Shri Thomas? Secondly, if the Supreme Court had stayed the trial of the case (as admitted by her), is it not self-evident that the case was pending and nobody could have been either acquitted or convicted?

I reiterate that the Committee was aware of the palmolein case; that no sanction for prosecution of Shri Thomas had been granted since 1999; that the case was pending in the Trial Court; that the Supreme Court had stayed the trial of the case; and that the then CVC had granted vigilance clearance in respect of Shri Thomas.

I issue this rejoinder, once again, most reluctantly. I would request the Hon?ble Leader of the Opposition to respect the rule of sub judice and allow the Supreme Court to decide the case. ?