More powers were possible without SC intervention: CBI chief

CBI Director Ranjit Sinha today said the recent steps taken by the Centre to give some financial and administrative freedom to the agency could have been taken without the intervention of the Supreme Court.

Speaking at the Golden Jubilee function of the Central Vigilance Commission, Sinha said on the orders of the Supreme Court, agency had asked for more functional autonomy but it was taken "differently" and incorrect impression was created that CBI wanted to be out of purview of the government.

"It was never our intention to be working out of the government. The end result was government thought to give some more functional autonomy in the sense that we were given some more financial autonomy and some more administrative powers," he said.

Sinha said it was an eye-opener to him that all these powers could have been given earlier without the intervention of the Supreme Court.

"I don't know if it was because of to show the supremacy of the bureaucracy over the investigating agency or something else. No rules were required to be violated. So much for the intent of the government to provide autonomy to CBI," he said.

Sinha said he would be the last person to advocate authority without accountability and he was fully aware that CBI's operational freedom is intrinsically linked with greater responsibility and accountability.

On alleged excesses committed by police force, Sinha, who has in the past stirred controversies with his remarks, said it is a part of criminal justice system and to expect a different type of behaviour from police is asking for a tall order.

"Whenever there was crisis situation and I was asked to act. Nobody asked me to do things according to rule of law. I was asked to deliver and if I did not deliver, I was given the reason I was inefficient and not fit to work in field situation,"

Sinha, who has served for nearly 40 years in police service, said.