COURTESY HT NOV 10

Punjab also takes back consent to CBI to probe cases
HT Correspondent

letters@hindustantimes.com

Chandigarh : The Congress-led government in Punjab on Monday became the latest state government to withdraw the general consent accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in the state. It now joins a list of non-BJP ruled states that have enacted similar measures.

The move by the Captain Amarinder Singh-led government means that the central agency will have to seek permission from the state government on a case-to-case basis to investigate cases in the state.

Jharkhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala and Chhattisgarh are other states that have withdrawn the general consent accorded to the CBI to exercise its powers under the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DPSE) Act.

The withdrawal of the consent is not unprecedented but never have so many states withdrawn the consent to the federal investigating agency. As per the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act that governs the CBI, the agency requires prior consent to exercise its authority in states.

The withdrawal of consent through a notification issued by the state home department comes amid a standoff between the state and the Centre over the contentious farm laws.

“The general consent granted to the CBI under Section 6 of the DPSE Act has been revoked. If the CBI has to investigate any offence or class of offences related to the state, prior consent of the Punjab government will be required on a case-to-case basis,” said a senior officer familiar with the matter.

The official said that law and order is a state subject and there are multiple agencies in the state to probe cases