Parliamentary panel recommends CBI to be treated as par FBI

A parliamentary standing committee strongly recommended for CBI to be treated like FBI and for that should be armoured with more powers and freedom to take on the cases, which have national implications such as terrorism, human trafficking, drug peddling and asked a separate “anti-terrorism division” be created in the Central Bureau of Investigation.

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The 26-member panel headed by E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan suggested in its 24th report committee that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be entrusted as an enforcement agency and given the mandate to ensure prevention of crimes, apart from investigation and prosecution.

In its 57-page report that tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the committee felt the government should bring amendment in the law and give urgent statutory backing to the CBI to take up cases without seeking any prior permission particularly in the era of high-tech crime and terror spread by novel techniques.

At present, the CBI does not have power to take initiative in such cases. It has to seek approval of either of the state’s government or court’s direction before starting probe into any criminal cases.

Against the recommendation of giving more authority to the CBI, the states have resisted the idea yet, because of the fear and doubt that the Centre could use it for the partisan purpose. But the recommendation is significant, as even the bunch of politicians have accepted the existing system is inadequate to meet the challenge of crimes like terrorism.

Although earlier official bodies like Administrative Reforms Commission have recommended for enhancing CBI’s length of power, but for the first time a parliamentary panel has called for such reformation.

The committee noted in its report that "By the time CBI is handed over the case, precious time is lost which not only results in loss of crucial evidence, but also provides ample time for criminals to escape or move the ill-gotten wealth in safe havens.”

Also, the committee advocated the Central Government to amend the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 to take CBI out of its purview or repeal it by introducing a ‘Central Bureau of Intelligence and Investigation Bill.’

The chairman of the committee, E M Sudarsana Natchiappan said terror acts, human trafficking, smuggling and black marketing should be classified as federal crimes and be handed over to CBI directly for investigations.

The CBI should be entrusted powers to recruit officers at various levels to meet manpower shortage rather than depending on the UPSC for the recruitment purpose. There should be less dependence on deputation from other forces, the committee said.

State’s opposition

However, the recommendation giving a federal role to the CBI on the lines of FBI may run into trouble as all states except for Punjab, Orissa and Himachal Pradesh, have opposed such a move yet for the fear of an encroachment into their jurisdiction.