A PSNI Special Branch commander who claims he was forced to quit has demanded a special investigator be appointed to investigate his allegations.
In a letter to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, former chief superintendent Mr Bill Lowry refused to supply more detail on his accusations that he was betrayed and humiliated.
He told the board's chairman Prof Desmond Rea: "It is your responsibility to appoint a suitable person to deal with this matter.
"It is when I make a statement to him/her that I will elaborate on the events surrounding my allegations," he stated.
Chief Supt Lowry was in charge of Special Branch in Belfast and headed the operation against a suspected IRA spy ring inside Government offices at Stormont last October.
But he stood down suddenly a month later after an internal row flared at the Police Service of Northern Ireland headquarters.
He was set to face disciplinary action before departing from his job with an exemplary service record.
Chief Constable Hugh Orde has vehemently denied all claims that political pressure played a part in his retirement.
But Mr Lowry alleged in a letter of complaint that a mystery phone call was made from London just days before he cleared his desk.
Police Ombudsman Ms Nuala O'Loan was then called in, but she passed the matter back to the board because the complaints were not made by a member of the public.
After lawyers advised Prof Rea that he could begin a preliminary inquiry, Mr Lowry was asked to give more details about an alleged breach of the PSNI code of ethics.
The board also wanted to him to provide further information on claims he was unlawfully detained and then forced out of the police.
But in his response, Mr Lowry insisted: "It is not my intention to enter into a bureaucratic investigation of my complaint.
"My letter stands as it is. I believe you are the authority responsible for the investigation of complaints against chief officers.
"If someone makes an allegation of theft he/she does not have to quote the specific Act of Parliament.
"It is for the investigators to deduce if an offence has been committed. I feel I have been wronged ... and I expect you and your board to have this matter thoroughly investigated to ascertain if I am correct."
A board spokesman confirmed members had discussed Mr Lowry's complaint at a meeting yesterday but refused to reveal the outcome.
But sources on the Policing Board claimed its credibility was now on the line.
"People want to know what happened to Bill Lowry and they don't want it swept under the carpet," one member said.
"The over-cautious approach so far could be perceived as showing we don't want to investigate because of the political ramifications."
Another admitted: "We cannot run away from this any longer. There will be a huge political row if this is not investigated."