The Congress-led Chhattisgarh government has withdrawn general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation, to investigate cases in the state.
According to reports, CM Bhupesh Baghel’s government has written a letter to Union Home Ministry and Ministry of Personnel, to disallow CBI from probing any case on its soil, without the state’s permission. However, CBI can investigate cases that are pending, and if it is directed by the court to do so.
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The state of Chhattisgarh is not the first to bar CBI from the state. Last year, in November, Chandrababu Naidu led- Telegu Desam Party government in Andhra Pradesh also withdrew the consent to CBI. The Andhra Pradesh government had cited section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, under which the jurisdiction of CBI also falls. Following which, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee had also withdrawn the consent accorded to CBI. She had alleged that CBI that the current central dispensation is using its power to and target opposition parties.
The consent which has been withdrawn by CM Bhupesh Baghel was given to CBI in 2001, under Ajit Jogi’s government. According to an Indian Express report, CM Baghel has been quoted saying that under present dispensation at Centre, CBI’s credibility is under suspicion.
‘”The first thing is that under the NDA government at the Centre, the credibility of the CBI is at peril. Therefore, it does not seem right that we allow the CBI to act as it pleases in our state. Second, we function through a system, and the way the CBI was let free to operate in the state, the law and order and state officers were being disturbed. ” CM Baghel was quoted. He also added that the withdrawal of consent doesn’t mean that CBI is completely barred from conducting the investigation, but it means that it has to do so after permission from the state government.
CM Bhupesh Bhagel government has also cited the same provision under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act,1946 that was used by CM Naidu. The central government is yet to issue any statement on the withdrawal of consent for CBI in Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, former CM Raman Singh has stated that the action shows Baghel’s fear of the central investigation agency.