Will ask SC to grant autonomy: CBI chief

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New Delhi: Most senior CBI officers, unhappy over the Centre’s move to reject the agency’s proposal for more powers for its director, feel that instead of trying to insulate it from outside influences, the government actually wants to create “more masters” for it.
The CBI is likely to request the Supreme Court that its plea for more autonomy is legitimate and will pave the way for curbing interference in its functioning.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle on Sunday, CBI director Ranjit Sinha said: “It is now for the Supreme Court to take a view in the light of the observation made by it during the rec­ent hearing in the Coalgate scam in which the agency was termed as a ‘caged parrot’ having many masters.”
Judges’ panel: Not all happy in CBI
The Centre had on Friday opposed in the Supreme Court the CBI’s plea for more powers for its director and for raising the length of his tenure from two to three years.
In a 22-page affidavit, the government also rejected the CBI’s opposition to an accountability commission for the agency, and said it was also against vesting complete disciplinary control of “Group A” officers with the CBI director.
“An all-powerful CBI director without adequate checks and balances would not be consonant with settled constitutional principles and would always carry the risk of potential misuse, and may not be conducive to fearless and independent functioning of the organisation at all levels. Therefore, averments of the CBI are not agreed with”, the government’s affidavit said.
Some senior CBI officers are not happy with the move to set up a panel of retired judges to oversee investigations by the agency to insulate it from political interference.
“As of now the agency submits its investigation report directly in the court under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The proposal to set up a panel of retired judges to oversee CBI investigations is disappointing for the officers.
A majority of the officers are against the proposal,” said a senior CBI official. At present, the Central Vigilance Commissioner is the superintending agency of the CBI.
“The creation of an accountability commission of retired judges will only create confusion. The lawmakers should not create new areas of confusion, instead of resolving the current situation,” said another senior official who didn’t want to beidentified.