Washington, September 26 (H.S.): Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), James Comey, has been accused of lying to the US Congress. The criminal case was filed just days after President Donald Trump urged his Attorney General to take legal action against Comey and other political opponents.

With this indictment, Comey has become the first former senior government official involved in the long-running investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election to face prosecution—a key issue for Trump. For years, Trump has labeled this investigation as a hoax and espionage, while multiple government reviews have shown that Moscow did interfere in the Republican campaign.

This criminal case raises concerns that the Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, is being used as a tool to investigate—and now prosecute—public figures whom the President considers political adversaries. Trump described the indictment on Thursday as “justice for America.” Statements in a similar vein were also issued by Bondi, a loyalist of Trump, and FBI Director Kash Patel, a long-time critic of the Russia investigation. Bondi said, “No one is above the law.”

Meanwhile, Comey posted a video on Instagram, stating, “My heart breaks for the Department of Justice, but I have full faith in the federal judicial system. I am innocent, so go ahead with the case, but please maintain the trust that my family and I have placed in it for years.”

It is noteworthy that Comey was dismissed just a few months into Trump’s first term.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar