Bengaluru: Karnataka Government on Thursday withdrew general consent issued to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct investigations in the state.
At a press conference at Vidhansouda here, Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil said after the Cabinet meeting, "We are withdrawing open consent for CBI investigation in the state under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DSPE), 1946, and expressing our concerns about the misuse of the CBI."
According to Section 6 of the DSPE Act, 1946, the CBI needs consent from the respective state governments to conduct investigations in their jurisdiction.
"In all the cases we have referred to the CBI, they have not filed charge sheets, leaving many cases pending. They have also refused to investigate several cases we have sent," said Patil.
"We have observed that the CBI is working in a biased manner. Working on behalf of a party. The organisations being misused by the central government are biased. It's not because of the MUDA case. We have taken this decision to control them (CBI) from taking the wrong path," Patil added.
Asked whether this was being done to "shield" Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is facing a probe in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) 'scam', Patil said, "On CM there is a court order for Lokayukta probe, so there is no such question."
He said there is concern being expressed "day-in and day-out" that CBI is misused in several cases. Even in the cases that the state government had given to CBI or the agency had taken up, in several of them chargesheets were not filed, Patil said. "They (CBI) refused to file chargesheets; they refused to probe umpteen number of mining cases," the minister said.
Asked whether the government has done this keeping in mind the demand for a CBI probe into the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation fund misappropriation case by the BJP, Patil said: "It has nothing to do with it as the matter is in court; the court will decide."
"It has been decided not to reply to any of the Governor's letters by the Chief Secretary. The Chief Secretary has been instructed to bring any letter written by the Governor to the notice of the Cabinet meeting. The chief secretary has been told by the resolution not to answer directly to the Governor. Cabinet decision has been taken to bring the Governor's letter to the attention of the Cabinet," he added.
"It has been decided to give the Government's reply to the Governor's letters through the Cabinet meeting instead of the Chief Secretary. Further, it was decided in the Cabinet meeting to answer only as necessary. The Governor is writing a letter with an impatient attitude. The Governor is suggesting sending the information immediately. The Cabinet has decided after reviewing all the regulations. The Chief Secretary should proceed with the Cabinet resolution. The decision of the cabinet meeting should be followed before sending the information," he said.
