The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Originally set up to investigate bribery and governmental corruption, the agency expanded its jurisdiction to investigate breaches of central laws enforceable by the government of India, multi-state organised crime, and multiagency or international cases.
The agency has been known to investigate several economic crimes, special crimes, and cases of corruption, among others. It is also the nodal police agency in India that coordinates investigations on behalf of Interpol member countries.
Divisions of the CBI
(i) Anti-Corruption Division – for investigation of cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, & the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, against public officials and the employees of the Central Government, public sector undertakings and corporations or bodies owned or controlled by the Government of India. It is the largest division having a presence almost in all the states of India.
(ii) Economic Offences Division – for investigation of major financial scams and serious economic frauds, including crimes relating to fake Indian currency notes, bank frauds and cybercrime.
(iii) Special Crimes Division – for investigation of serious, sensational and organised crime under the Indian Penal Code and other laws on the requests of state governments or on the orders of the Supreme Court and High Courts. An important thing to note is that the investigating agency does not take up cases of regular crimes such as robbery, theft, or murder unless the Supreme Court of India or the state governments request this.
Complaints that are not investigated by CBI
Complaints that do not entail specific charges of bribery or corruption and can be handled more effectively by the vigilance wing or local police.
Complaints involving only state government employees or private citizens.
In accordance with the guidelines formulated by the Central Vigilance Commission, India, the CBI does not entertain anonymous / pseudonymous information & complaints. The informant / complainant can, however, always request to keep their identity secret. The CBI takes all the necessary care to ensure that the identity of such persons is kept secret.
A large part of crimes unearthed by the CBI of corruption and serious offences are based on oral information provided by individuals in confidence. The CBI has a very well laid down policy of handling such information and informants, which is followed scrupulously.
The informant is only handled by the officer to whom the information has been provided. Disclosure of the identity of the informant cannot be demanded even by the senior officers of the officer to whom the information has been provided.
The identity of such an informant is never put in writing in any record. It is not even disclosed to the courts. No action is initiated by CBI on such information without subjecting them to discreet verification. While taking care that the secrecy of the information is not leaked, such information is put to detailed verification. It is only after ensuring that a prima facie criminal case is made out, a criminal case is registered and further action taken.
How to file a complaint with the CBI?
A complaint can be filed in person, or by sending the information / complaint by post, by SMS from a mobile phone, by making a phone callto the branch concerned, by sending emails to its officers and by posting the information / complaint on the website / online portal.
Contact details of CBI in Mumbai
Plot No. C-35A, 'G' Block, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Near MTNL Exchange, Bandra (East),Mumbai 400098 Telephone: 022-26529938, 022-26529934 Web Portal: https://cbi.gov.in
(The writer is aVile Parle-based social activist)
