National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, on instructions from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), had personally asked Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma to withdraw his request to investigate the controversial ₹60,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal, sources close to the benched CBI chief have confirmed.

It has been reliably learnt that Alok Verma had started a preliminary enquiry in the Rafale deal and had even written a letter to Union Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, seeking some crucial files of the 36-fighter jet deal between India and France.

The news of Verma's letter to the defence secretary had created a panic within the PMO and NSA Ajit Doval was sent as an emissary to put pressure on Verma to retract his letter.