A day after the state government withdrew general consent given to CBI way back in 1989 to investigate cases in Maharashtra, the Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday strongly defended the decision saying that it was done to ensure that CBI was not misused for political purposes.
“CBI is a premier investigating agency which was termed by the Supreme Court as a caged parrot. The CBI will need the Maharashtra government’s permission henceforth (to operate in the state). It can’t carry out an investigation here in Mumbai till we issue permission,’’ he noted.
The CBI will need the state government’s consent to probe TRP or any other scam.
Deshmukh reiterated that a professional organisation like the CBI should not be misused for political purposes. He said the government has issued an order as per the provision of the Delhi Police Special Establishment Act.
“The CBI holds an investigation in a very professional manner, but the pressure built on the organisation to seek political benefits isn't right, therefore, we took this decision,’’ said Deshmukh in his defence.
The state government took the decision after an FIR was registered recently in Lucknow in the TRP scam case. The case was taken over by the CBI within 24 hours of the lodging of the FIR on the recommendation of the Uttar Pradesh Police. The FIR was registered by a Delhi-based advertisement company which does not even have a registered office in UP.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also justified the state government’s decision saying that there was no need for CBI to probe when the state police were investigating cases. ’’The state government has taken the decision because of CBI’s interference. The state police has its jurisdiction and it needs to be protected,’’ he viewed.
