Congress defends Karnataka govt's decision on CBI, cites law

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New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari on Friday cited the law while defending the Karnataka government's decision on withdrawing general consent to CBI, saying that it was crucial to ensure impartial investigations.

While speaking to IANS, Pramod Tiwari said, "It seems the BJP hasn't read the CBI Act. According to the very law from which the CBI was established, there is a clear provision that the CBI cannot interfere in any state unless it has the state's consent."

Pramod Tiwari said, "The CBI cannot investigate in any state without its permission. If a state government wants a CBI probe, it must request the Central government. And, until the state agrees, the CBI cannot conduct an investigation."

"Before commenting on this issue, the BJP should first read the recent Supreme Court statement that was made just 15 days ago. In that statement, the Supreme Court mentioned that the CBI needs to shed its image as a 'caged parrot'. When the highest court of the country questions the integrity of the CBI, there isn’t much left to say," he added.

The Rajya Sabha MP further said, "Recently, there have been several cases where it appears that the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are acting as arms of the BJP. In such a scenario, it is crucial to ensure impartial investigations. If Karnataka has blocked the CBI from interfering in its matters, it has done so following the proper rules and regulations."

The Karnataka government decided on Thursday to withdraw the general consent given to the CBI for investigating cases in the state.

Following a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil announced, "The notification granting general consent to the CBI for investigating criminal cases under the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, in Karnataka, has been withdrawn."

Under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, the CBI requires the consent of state governments to investigate within their jurisdiction.

During a press conference, Patil further explained, "This decision was made because it has become evident that the CBI and the Central government are not using their powers judiciously. From now on, we will verify on a case-by-case basis before granting permission for CBI investigations. The general consent has been withdrawn."