The Congress on Thursday accused the Centre of snooping on “forcibly removed” Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma through Intelligence Bureau (IB).

The comments came after four IB men were caught outside Verma’s residence earlier in the day.

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In a tweet, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala warned that the IB was heading the CBI, purportedly hinting at the ongoing CBI feud between its top officials.

“After making CBI as ‘Central Burial of Investigation’, the (Narendra) Modi government now stoops to a ‘new low’ — Snooping on ‘forcibly removed’ CBI Director through IB. Let everyone be forewarned — IB is heading the CBI way!” Surjewala tweeted.

On Thursday, four men were caught at exiled CBI chief Alok Verma’s home in Delhi, allegedly snooping from parked cars, amid continuing drama involving the country’s main investigating agency. All four, caught by Verma’s security personnel and hauled inside, are said to be junior assistant officers of the IB.

Read | ‘Officials on patrol’: IB clarifies on 4 men caught ‘snooping’ outside CBI chief’s home

According to various media reports, the men are being questioned by the police. Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma, however, denied detaining four men and questioning them.

Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge and senior leader Abhishek Singhvi also upped their attack on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government as they alleged that suffering from Rafale-o-phobia, PM Modi is indulging in snooping, surveillance and spying of the CBI.

Kharge and Singhvi alleged that the Intelligence Bureau was snooping on an officer who was about to unravel the murky dealings in the Rafale scam.

“‘Big Brother Syndrome’ is the prime modus operandi by a government who has utterly lost the plot,” the two leaders said in a statement.

Singhvi said, “Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his government and President of the ruling party (Amit Shah) were indulging in blatant and shameless surveillance on CBI and have created a fresh new snoopgate. This was nothing but blatant, brazen and beleaguered use of agencies. It also speaks volumes how the IB was being interfered and misused for cheap political end.”

On Wednesday, Verma along with his deputy special director, Rakesh Asthana was divested from his duties as the two hit out at each other over bribery accusations in the meat exporter Moin Qureshi money laundering case.