Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s director Amar Pratap Singh would on July 13 make a detailed presentation before the select committee of the Rajya Sabha on the proposed structure of the agency’s working relationship with anti-corruption panel, the Lokpal.
According to sources in his presentation before the select committee, the director will raise the issue of “more autonomy and independence” to the India’s premier investigating agency. Majority of the officials of the agency are against the splitting of the CBI and attaching its anti-corruption wing with the Lokpal, sources said. Mr Singh has prepared a detailed report after discussing the issue with top officials of the agency as well as heads of all units of the CBI, they added.
“Agency official are of the opinion that while setting up the institution of Lokpal, it must be ensured that the CBI’s legal authority is not diluted in any manner. The CBI director will raise this issue in his presentation,” sources said.
Without opposing Lokpal, Mr Singh would raise the issue of more autonomy to the CBI. “He would ask for zero interference from government departments and ministries. The agency is of the view that is should be retained in its present form as the only premier investigating agency for corruption cases, in line with the Supreme Court judgment in the Vineet Narain case”. sources said. Interference of Lokpal should be confined to those cases only which will be referred by the anti-corruption panel to the CBI. Sources further said, “The agency officials also want that the time limit for completion of Lokpal referred cases should also be increased as present limit of six months is unrealistic, stay on investigation by courts, probe abroad, delay in execution of Letters Rogatory, delay in getting expert opinions, delays due to absconding accused persons”.