Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said CBI DIG's Manoj Sinha's allegations of corruption against senior government officials in his affidavit to the Supreme Court are the latest episode of a crime thriller "Chowkidar is thief" playing out in Delhi.

"Officers are tired, trust is broken and democracy is crying," the Congress president said, a day after Sinha dragged the names of several officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union minister Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary  and CVC K V Chowdhury, over alleged attempts to interfere in the probe against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana,

Asthana has been divested of his duties and sent on leave along with CBI director Alok Verma.

While Doval and Chowdhary did not react immediately, the Union minister of state for coal  said the allegations were "baseless and malicious".

“A crime thriller titled 'Chowkidar is thief' is playing out in Delhi. In the new episode, a CBI DIG has levelled serious charges against a Minister, the NSA, Law Secretary and Cabinet Secretary,” the Congress president said on Twitter,

“On the other hand, his partner from Gujarat is busy collecting crores...," he added.

Gandhi has been repeatedly using the "chowkidaar" jibe to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hitting back at the oft-used jibe, Modi said in Madhya Pradesh two days ago that the "naamdaar" (dynast) and his party were hurling all kinds of abuses at him.

"The Congress people are hurling abuses at chaiwalas, pakodawalas, chowkidars, surgical strike, Army chief...What has become of their culture? he asked while addressing a rally in Chhindwara.