Can report to Lokpal but don't divide us: CBI to tell Parl panel

New Delhi: The Central Investigation Agency (CBI) is willing to report to the Lokpal but strongly opposes any move to divide it as envisaged in Anna Hazare's Bill.

The Janlokpal Bill is pushing for the CBI's anti-corruption wing to be brought under the Lokpal's ambit.

CBI director A P Singh will make this appeal before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lokpal next Wednesday.

The CBI top brass believe any attempt to divide the agency – by putting only the anti-graft wing under Lokpal – will ‘dilute’ it and make it ‘less effective’ and ‘weak’. This is because the work of all its wings are 'intertwined' and mutually dependent.

Armed with the history of the agency's functioning since its birth in 1941 and its subsequent contribution to the people, legislature and courts, Singh will present his case before the House committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice on September 7.

The agency will also brief the committee about cases it has investigated so far as an independent body, and their outcomes.

The presentation before the Parliamentary Committee is likely to claim, “CBI does not want any division of the bureau. The various wings of the agency like the special crime region (SCR), economic offence unit (EOU) and the anti-corruption are intertwined and hence there should be no division.” Explaining this, an official said, “In many of our cases, special crime is committed to hide corruption. Similarly, all corruption cases to a great degree involve economic offences like fraud and cheating.”

However, there is no issue if the Lokpal wants to act as a supervisor to the cases which the CBI investigates. “We are not opposed to working under the Lokpal but the CBI should remain as it is,” stated the official.

The initial presentation of the CBI, accessed by 'The Indian Express', shows the agency is also likely to suggest the Lokpal have an ‘inquiry wing’ for fact-finding. This fact-finding exercise can later be entrusted to the CBI for further investigation.

The agency will also press for its expansion, more staff and a stronger economic offence and special crime branches.

The CBI is also okay with the government's suggestion that the Lokpal need not seek its approval to investigate a senior officer. As an independent body, the CBI is at present required to ask for the government's go-ahead.

A top official said, “We are not opposing the idea of working under the Lokpal but any division of its department will destroy and make the bureau dysfunctional in near future.”