Ensure autonomy: CBI chief to House panel

CBI Director A P Singh on Friday made a strong case for maintaining the autonomy of the agency and opposed any move for a bifurcation of its investigation and prosecution wings. He was appearing before the Rajya Sabha Select Committee on the Lokpal Bill.

Singh lauded the present arrangement,citing 70 per cent success rate of the agency. A bifurcation would make it less effective and weak. He said the different wings of the agency like Special Crime Region SCR,Economic Offence Unit EOU and Anti Corruption Wing are intertwined and hence there should be no division. He tried to make a case for a synergy between the CBI and the Lokpal,but at the same time,pleaded for more financial,administrative and legal independence for the agency.

Singh,in his presentation,recounted the history of the agency since it was set up in 1941,cases it has investigated and contribution it has made working as an independent body,adding that it would not be able to meet the aspirations of people,legislatures and courts should its anti-corruption wings be split.

The CBI Director said the powers for sanctioning prosecution may be given to the Lokpal,which could exercise them under the Section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act,Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,Section 377 and 378 of the CrPC for filing of Appeals and Revisions.