CBI gets more time to probe Subba claim

The Supreme Court on Monday granted the CBI six weeks to investigate the claims of Moni Kumar Subba that he is not a citizen of Nepal.

The Supreme Court on Monday granted the CBI six weeks to investigate the claims of Moni Kumar Subba that he is not a citizen of Nepal. Subba, the Congress MP from Tezpur in Assam, has said he is an Indian citizen “by birth”.

The Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan acceded to the plea by Additional Solicitor-General P P Malhotra seeking time to probe further and ascertain the veracity of the arguments made by Subba. It also allowed the counsel for the petitioner Birendra Nath Singh to file additional material related to Subba.

However, Subba who was asked in the last hearing to furnish additional documents to prove that he’s a citizen of India, contended that the allegations are politically motivated and were liable to be dismissed. “I submit that the writ petition filed against me is totally frivolous, malicious, fraudulent and politically motivated,” the affidavit said.

Story continues below this ad

Maintaining that he is a victim of political rivalry, Subba informed the court from among his entire family, “only my citizenship is being questioned on account of my political affiliations by my political adversaries and rivals”.

As he put across a detailed chronology of dates proving Indian citizenship, he also expressed his willingness to face any probe. “I am willing to undertake any inquiry to prove that I am a citizen of India as the documents would unmistakably prove that all the allegations that I was a citizen of Nepal are totally false, frivolous, concocted, malicious and were leveled in order to defame me in the eyes of public,” the affidavit stated.

He even pointed to a “certificate” by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal Government dated May 15, 1998 that he was never a citizen/resident of the country. He also denied owning any house or land there.

Further, the respondent “emphatically denied” that any court of Nepal in any alleged murder case ever convicted him or he escaped from jail. “All these allegations are utterly false, mischievous and misleading and have been leveled on a false premise by linking my name with name of one Shri Mani Raj Limboo,” he said.