'Surprised' at CBI raids, says Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha

With CBI conducting raids at several places including in the Finance Ministry offices, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha on Thirsday said he is "very surprised" by the developments and would look into the matter.

"I am very surprised by the developments today... I have to look into the matter. We have to understand what is happening and then once we know more we can get back to you," Sinha said.

Speaking to NDTV news channel, the Minister further said he has "just returned to the North Block from the Parliament".

Earlier in the evening, the much-delayed Insurance Bill was cleared by the Parliament while Sinha had moved the Bill in Rajya Sabha as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is travelling to the UK on a three-day visit.

Earlier in the day, CBI busted a major ring involving a Chartered Accountant and some government servants and registered a case of alleged sale of confidential documents related to foreign investment policies to some major corporate groups of the country.

A coordinated search operation at various locations -- including six in in the national capital and two in Mumbai -- was carried out today, which covered several offices of Finance Ministry and Commerce Ministry, as also residences of its officials and that of the Mumbai-based Chartered Accountant.

The Chartered Accountant Khemchand Gandhi, Under Secretary in Department of Disinvestment and Grievances Ashok Kumar Singh and Section Officer in the Department of Economic Affairs Lala Ram Sharma have been detained by the agency.