Kathmandu. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kashyap Patel appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday in a highly-tense hearing. Democratic senators have asked him tough questions about the Charlie Kirk murder investigation and the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. This has created a new stir in the political circles.
Tension and accusations
}
Patel defended the decisions made during his tenure, insisting that the FBI did not resort to any political vendetta. He claimed that all the agents who were sacked this year were “not for political reasons but for clear rule violations”. Senator Adam Schiff and others have consistently challenged his claims. This led to a heated argument. Patel also called Senator Schiff a “disgrace to this institution”.
Accountability in the Kirk case and the Epstein case
Patel defended the rapid arrest within 33 hours of the murder of Charlie Kirk. However, he initially acknowledged that the FBI’s social media posts had misled information that the suspects were in custody and later released two innocent men.
The senators also questioned why the FBI stopped investigating Epstein’s friends. “There is no credible information that Jeffrey Epstein committed human trafficking to anyone other than himself,” Patel said. He said while the investigation was extensive, there was no basis for further criminal charges against others.
Drugs and political division
}
Patel’s statement that drug traffickers and organised crime syndicates “should be treated like al-Qaeda” won bipartisan support but drew controversy from civil rights groups. After the hearing, Republicans praised Patel, while Democrats said they would continue to investigate political bias, the Kirk investigation and the Epstein affair. Patel is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee shortly. This is likely to complicate matters.
