‘Mahagathbandhan’ govt in Bihar wants consent to CBI withdrawn

Patna, Aug 28: Leaders of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar on Sunday called for withdrawing the general consent to the CBI, alleging that the agency was being used by the BJP-led government at the Centre for political purposes.
According to Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, the CBI needs consent from the respective state governments for conducting investigations in their jurisdictions.
Nine states, including West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Meghalaya, have withdrawn general consent for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe cases in their jurisdiction.
RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari told PTI that the way the central agencies are being misused to target the BJP’s political rivals, the grand alliance government in Bihar must take back the consent given to CBI.
“Besides, option should also be explored by the state government to approach the judiciary to check the misuse of central agencies,” he said.
“I must say that the central investigative agencies have lost their credibility during the NDA regime,” he said.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) said it was the right time to withdraw the general consent to the CBI.
“The way central agencies such as CBI, ED and Income Tax Department are being misused to ruin the image of opposition leaders, people of Bihar are watching, and they will give a befitting reply at the appropriate time,” said state minister Madan Sahni of JD(U).
CPIML(L) MLA Mehboob Alam claimed that there was no doubt that the central agencies were being misused by the Centre to destabilise non-BJP governments in the states. (PTI)