The government is planning a slew of measures to keep the CBI insulated from external pressure in wake of the severe indictment of the agency’s functioning by the Supreme Court. CBI chief Ranjit Sinha on Friday held a crucial meeting with minister for personnel N. Narayanasamy discussing various measures to enhance the CBI’s functional autonomy.
The meeting comes a day after the government constituted a GoM headed by finance minister P. Chidambaram and comprising communications minister Kapil Sibal and Mr Narayanasamy to discuss the vexed issue of the CBI’s autonomy.
The government, sources said, is racing against time as the CBI director has to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court by July 10 spelling out the measures initiated to increase the agency’s autonomy. Thus, the government is exploring the ordinance route to bail out the beleaguered CBI.
Highly-placed sources said the government is willing to concede more powers to the CBI in anti-corruption cases and even increasing its prosecution powers. It is possible, sources claimed, that the government may limit permission to seek prosecution sanction for only secretary-level officers.
As of now, the CBI has to approach the government for prosecuting officers of the level of joint secretary and above. Importantly, the government will make it mandatory for the CBI not to report to any government functionary regarding ongoing investigations into any case. There will be provision for penal action if any government functionary tries to intervene in investigations.
Similarly, the CBI director will be given more powers to decide on the transfer and posting of its officers. Sources said it was often noticed, including in the recent Coalgate scam, that some of the officials who were part of the investigations were moved out.
“It will be the discretion of the director if he wants to retain a particular officer and he can convey this to the government. The concerned government department will have to consult the CBI chief before moving out a particular official,” a senior government functionary said.
These issues were discussed at Friday’s meeting as well. Sources said the CBI director will also assist the GoM in formulating new guidelines for CBI’s functional autonomy. There is a possibility that the GoM may suggest measures to strengthen the CBI’s prosecution wing making it virtually independent by bringing it out of the ambit of the CBI.
“This will ensure that even the CBI is not able to influence the prosecution of important cases” a top government official remarked.