Three TMC MPs on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take necessary steps to remove Solicitor General Tushar Mehta from his post, questioning his alleged meeting with Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who faced a probe in Naradha case and Saradha chit fund scam.
Mehta, for his part, denied any meeting with him, although he admitted Adhikari did come to his office-cum-residence unannounced at 3pm on Thursday.
"Since I was already in a pre-scheduled meeting in my chamber, my staff requested him to sit in the waiting room of my office. When my meeting was over, my PPS informed me about his arrival. I requested my PPS to convey to Mr Adhikari my inability to meet him and apologise as he had to wait. Adhikari left without insisting to meet me. Question of my meeting with Adhikari therefore did not arise," Mehta said.
In a joint letter, TMC MPs Derek O Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Mahua Moitra claimed that Adhikari is an accused in various criminal cases of cheating, illegal gratification and bribery etc. "Such a meeting between an accused in grave offences and with the Solicitor General, who is advising such investigating agencies by whom the accused is investigated, is in direct conflict of interest with the statutory duties of Solicitor General of India," their letter stated.
The MPs alleged that the act of Solicitor General to provide an opportunity of audience to Adhikari "not only reeks of impropriety, but also raises the question of integrity and taints the post occupied by the Solicitor General".