Two months after the Chandrababu Naidu-led government in Andhra Pradesh withdrew general consent accorded to the CBI to probe cases in the state, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh took a similar decision on Thursday.
When contacted, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said: “The first thing is that under the NDA government at the Centre, the credibility of the CBI is at peril. Therefore, it does not seem right that we allow the CBI to act as it pleases in our state. Second, we function through a system, and the way the CBI was let free to operate in the state, the law and order and state officers were being disturbed. This direction does not mean that the CBI is barred from entering the state, but that before any action, it must seek permission from the state government.”

The state government has conveyed the decision to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Personnel and Training.

“The government of Chhattisgarh hereby withdraws its consent accorded vide letter under reference of the purpose of Section 6 of the DSPE Act 1946,” says the letter signed by R P Mandal, Additional Chief Secretary, dated January 10. “It is further requested that the CBI be instructed not to exercise its jurisdiction for investigation of any fresh matter…,” it says. Also Read: Jaitley says states don’t have sovereignty in matters of corruption

Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act that governs the CBI states, “Consent of state government to exercise of powers and jurisdiction — Nothing contained in Section 5 shall be deemed to enable any member of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to exercise powers and jurisdiction in any area in (a state not being a union territory or railways area], without the consent of the government of that state.”