JOIN USA panel of retired judges to oversee probe and more financial autonomy to the director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are some of the important recommendations Cabinet on Thursay cleared to insulate the agency from government interference.
The recommendations by a Group of Ministers (GoM) came on the direction of the Supeme Court in coalgate after the judges were peeved at the UPA government’s brazen intervention to alter an investigation report which was to be submitted before them.
The UPA government, which is reluctant to give complete autonomy to the agency, has to put forth these suggestions before the apex court for the final nod before July 10. It is learnt that Finance Minister P Chidambaram-headed GoM has recommended amendment to the Act governing CBI, besides forming a panel of retired judges to supervise investigation and entertain complaints against the agency.
The CBI director will get more financial powers to rid himself of the leash-like grip personnel ministry has on administrative manners.
Director Prosecution who till now is a law ministry appointee, will report to the CBI director, as often in the past governments of the day used the legal officer to give a favourable opinion to checkmate politically sensitive cases. Interestingly, the government has not done away with “single directive” norm, which is seeking permission from the ministry concerned, even if an inquiry has to be conducted against an officer of the rank of joint secretary and above.
The change, said sources, in this context is that permission has to be granted in a time bound manner.