Mizoram Congress urges state govt to restore general consent for CBI investigations
AIZAWL: Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday urged the state government to re-accord a general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe offences, including corruption cases, in the state.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference here, state Congress senior vice president Lalnunmawia Chuaungo said that the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government headed by chief minister Lalduhoma had revoked its order issued in December last year in which the Central investigating agency was given a general consent to independently probe any offences committed by employees of Central government and Mizoram government working in the state without the requisite of prior permission of the state government.
The government revoked its previous notification by issuing a fresh notification on July 1 which stated that no investigation will be taken up by the CBI against any employees of the state government without prior permission.
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"The state government issued another notification in the official gazette on July 1 in which the CBI was given consent to independently probe offences committed by employees of the Central government, while prior permission of the Mizoram government is required in order to investigate offences committed by employees working under the state government. This notification makes the earlier notification null and void," Chuaungo said.
Making the CBI director's letter (generic draft consent notification) to chief secretaries in June as an excuse, the new notification was issued by the state government, he said.
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The Congress leader said that they submitted a representation to the chief minister asking him to re-accord general consent to the CBI to independently probe offences committed by employees irrespective of those under state government and Central government and without requiring prior permission.
He urged the chief minister to stick to his word as he repeatedly announced publicly that his government would give consent to the CBI to directly investigate offences in the state without seeking permission from the state government.
In December last year, the state government issued a notification giving general consent to the CBI to probe offences in the state.
"Under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, the government extends the powers and jurisdiction of the members of the Delhi special police establishment for investigation of offences in Mizoram," the notification had said.
The notification did not specifically mention investigating offences committed by employees of the Central government or state government working in the state.
On July 1, the state government issued a fresh notification according to consent to the CBI to probe offences committed by employees of the Central government, Central public undertakings and private persons.
"No such investigation shall be taken up in cases relating to the public servant controlled by the Mizoram government except with the prior written permission of the state government," the fresh notification also said.
Meanwhile, the state vigilance department claimed that the fresh notification was issued based on the guidelines given by the CBI director.
It said that the fresh notification has to be issued as offences which can be investigated by the investigating agency have been re-notified with the introduction of new criminal law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which came into force on July 1, it said.
The department claimed that the general consent given to the CBI in both the notifications was similar and there was no change.