AP Govt bars CBI from conducting raid, probe

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad/kolkata, Nov 16

The Andhra Pradesh Government has passed an order withdrawing permission to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) entering the state. The “general consent” to the CBI to exercise its authority stands withdrawn with immediate effect, a senior official said.

Soon after, West Bengal  too withdrew the ‘general consent’. A top official at the state secretariat in Kolkata confirmed the development. The general consent was accorded to the CBI by the then Left government in 1989.

This follows the recent raids on TDP leaders in Hyderabad and other places in Telangana that have been termed as witch hunt by Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu. Sources said the orders were passed after the government received information that the Union Government was proposing to launch raids on various political leaders of the state after Naidu stepped up efforts to form an anti-BJP front with the help of the Congress.

An order marked “Confidential” passed by Principal Secretary (Home) AR Anuradha on November 8, was “leaked” in the media late last night.

The order reads: “In exercise of the power conferred by Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, the government hereby withdraws the general consent accorded  to all members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to exercise powers and jurisdiction under the said Act in  Andhra Pradesh.” The CBI functions under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act. (With PTI inputs)

Right move

What Chandrababu Naidu government has done is absolutely right. Earlier, we didn’t need to use such provisions but we need to do it now as BJP is using CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests. —Mamata Banerjee, WB Chief Minister

Clamp down on I-T too

Chandrababu should also not allow the Income Tax Department in the state. Modi is misusing the CBI and Income Tax Department. Why the CBI has not caught those behind demonetisation, Rafale scams, etc? —Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister