New Delhi, June 06: The Intelligence Bureau has denied to the CBI Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's charges that its sleuths had launched a special operation code-named "Black Sea" to tarnish his image in the state, which goes to polls later this year. CBI which began its investigations to check the veracity of the letter purportedly issued by the IB's special directorate had sought clarification from the Intelligence Bureau, CBI sources said here today.

The sources said IB told the CBI investigators that neither did any such directorate exist, nor had any such operation been launched.

The CBI probe is aimed at verifying the authenticity of documents furnished by Jogi in connection with his allegation that the IB had launched an "operation" to defame BJP's political opponents.

Jogi had alleged that the operation, code-named 'Black Sea', had been launched by the IB's "special directorate" to target opposition leaders, including Congressmen like him, in the run-up to elections in Congress-ruled states like Chhattisgarh.

Jogi had said: "Someone gave a photocopy" of a document relating to the "operation" launched against him in which it was alleged that he had a joint account in a Swiss bank along with his wife and had amassed money and property since he became the chief minister.

Bureau Report