Bengal Takes Cue from Andhra Pradesh, Withdraws ‘General Consent’ to CBI

“What Chandrababu Naidu has done is absolutely right. The BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee said.

New Delhi: The West Bengal government on Friday evening withdrew the ‘general consent’ accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct probes and raids in the state, a top official said.

The decision was taken late Friday evening, close on the heels of a similar step initiated by the Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government.

The general consent, accorded to the CBI by the then Left Front government in 1989, enabled the Central agency to conduct any investigation without taking separate permission from the state government.

With this decision, the CBI will henceforth require permission from the West Bengal government to carry out any sort of investigation except those ordered by the courts, the official at the state secretariat said.

The CBI functions under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.

During a party meeting earlier in the day here, the Trinamool Congress supremo extended her support to Naidu over the issue.

Also read: Explained: The What and Why of Naidu’s Move to Lock the CBI Out of Andhra Pradesh

“What Chandrababu Naidu has done is absolutely right. The BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta,” Banerjee said.

In the emerging situation, the officials believe that the ongoing investigations in the Saradha, Narada and Rose Valley ponzi scam cases would not be affected since those probes were being conducted according to court orders.

However, in other cases, where there were no court orders, the central agency would require consent of the state government to carry out its investigations.

Incidentally, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister is likely to visit Kolkata to meet Banerjee on Monday. Both the leaders are expected to hold talks at the state secretariat here ahead of the opposition conclave in New Delhi next week.

Political reactions

The Congress cited the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to claims that states do not have faith in the CBI and other central agencies due to their “misuse” by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

“Unfortunately in the last four-five years they (central agencies) have been treated like private armies of Amit Shah (BJP chief) and the prime minister… That is why people doubt the ability of CBI to act independently or to act without pressure,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said.

He described it as a “very dangerous trend”.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal lent support to the Andhra Pradesh government’s move in a tweet. “Chandrababu did the right thing. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji is misusing the CBI and the Income Tax department. Why did not the CBI catch scamsters of notebandi (demonetisation), Vijay Mallya, Rafale, Sahara Birla diary etc. Naidu ji do not allow Income Tax officials also to enter your state,” Kejriwal said.

BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimhra Rao described the Telugu Desam Party government’s order as a “clear mala fide exercise of power” to ensure that its “corruption” was not exposed, alleging that a “grand alliance of most corrupt parties” had taken shape to protect their interests.

Leaders of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and the Gandhi family of the Congress were facing probe in “corruption” cases, he said, adding that it had led to a “convergence of their interests” with Naidu.

“We are seeing a grand alliance of the most corrupt parties. Their interests have converged to ensure that their corruption is not exposed,” Rao told reporters. The Andhra government’s decision showed that it had many skeletons in its cupboards, he alleged.

“A nervous and completely rattled Naidu is trying to save his government,” Rao said.

(With inputs from PTI)