New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking the removal of Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta.
TMC has referred to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s visit to the residence of Mehta, describing it as an “issue that raises grave doubts of impropriety in one of India’s highest legal offices”.
“The Solicitor General of India is the second highest law officer of the country after the Attorney General of India and advises Government of India and its various organs and in crucial legal matters such as Narada and Sarada cases. Such a meeting between an accused in grave offences, with the learned Solicitor General who is advising such investigation agencies by whom the said accused is being investigated, is in direct conflict of interest with the statutory duties of learned Solicitor General of India,” read the letter signed by TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy.
“We have, therefore, reasons to believe that such a meeting has been organised to influence the outcome of matters where Suvendu Adhikari is an accused, using the high offices of the Learned Solicitor General. In order to avoid any doubt in the mind of the public at large, as to the integrity and neutrality of the office of the Learned Solicitor General of India, we approach you to initiate necessary steps for removal of Sri Tushar Mehta from the post of the Solicitor General of India,” the letter added.
TMC had written a similar letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days ago.
Mehta confirmed Adhikari’s visit to his residence, but denied meeting him.
“Shri Suvendu Adhikari did come to my residence cum office yesterday at around 3 pm, unannounced. 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 building and offered him a cup of tea. When my meeting was over and thereafter my PPS informed me about his arrival, I requested my PPS to convey to Adhikari my inability to meet him and apologise as he had to wait,” ,” Mehta SG had said in a statement.
Adhikari also said that although he had gone to see Mehta, the latter did not meet him.
TMC has asked the President to urge Mehta to make public CCTV footage from his residence to support his claim.
