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Karnataka government withdraws CBI's carte-blanche

The Karnataka Cabinet today withdrew the blanket permission granted in 1992 to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe cases in the state.

Henceforth, the government will decide on referring cases to the CBI. Likewise, the agency will have to seek the government's permission to probe cases in the state.

Information Minister M C Nanaiah told the media in Bangalore after the cabinet meeting that there was no provocation for withdrawal of the permission. "We should have taken the decision earlier," he said.

Nanaiah clarified that the CBI would continue to investigate the cases already with it.

Then chief minister M Veerappa Moily had, on November 20, 1992, given blanket permission to the CBI to investigate cases in the state.

Earlier, in the '70s, then chief minister Veerendra Patil had given similar permission to the CBI. But it was withdrawn in 1978 by his successor, D Devaraj Urs.

UNI

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