New Delhi:
The BJP has slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for what it calls as "national embarrassment" on the Kim Davy issue.
"The CBI has gone with an expired warrant to obtain the extradition of Kim Davy in the Purulia arms drop case. The CBI, there too claimed the human error. One after the other, the human errors are leading to such embarrassments, not just within the country but even outside. The BJP feels that the Home Minister should now focus on his Ministry and ensure that there are no such future embarrassments that this country has to face," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Home Minister P Chidambaram, meanwhile, hit back saying the CBI doesn't report to his ministry.
"To borrow one of their words, it's monumental ignorance. The CBI is not under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry concerned is the Ministry of Personnel. The ministry should be asked why the slip up took place," Chidambaram said.
A CBI team landed in Copenhagen to try and seek Davy's extradition but in a major goof-up, the officers were carrying an arrest warrant that had expired four months back.
In a last minute scramble, the CBI somehow managed to get the right papers.
The mistake comes close on the heels of the most-wanted fugitives' list blooper.
(Read: Most wanted list blooper - 'Fugitive' lives in Thane)The Danish High Court is hearing the case and is expected to pronounce its verdict on his extradition. But before today's hearing began, Davy's lawyer pointed out that the arrest warrant had expired.
Since 1995, the agency has been investigating the Purulia arms drop case in which Davy is a key accused. It describes the blunder as an oversight.
India is expecting a favourable verdict from a Denmark High Court on Davy's extradition.
The CBI team reached Denmark on May 16 to assist local authorities in the case against Kim Davy and seek his extradition to India to face trial based on facts and evidence collected against him.
A five-member constitutional bench of the Denmark High Court is hearing the plea of the Denmark government which challenged a lower court order against the extradition of Davy to India.
The Kim Davy case•
Dec 17, 1995: Huge cache of arms dropped in Purulia
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Dec 22, 1995: Aircraft that dropped arms identified, forced to land at Mumbai airport; Five Latvian crew arrested, key accused Kim Davy manages to escape
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March 1996: CBI files chargesheet
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2000: Latvian crew pardoned, set free
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May 16, 2011: CBI team in Copenhagen to seek Kim Davy's extradition, has 'clinching proof' against Davy
• Kim Davy is wanted in five countries for terror acts
(With PTI Inputs)