GoM to finalise affidavit for CBI autonomy by June 24

The Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted for the empowerment of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would finalise its affidavit by June 24 for submission to the Supreme Court.

The third meeting of GoM headed by Finance Minister, P Chidambaram was held here last evening.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Law Minister Kapil Sibal said, the contours of the affidavit and the proposals for the amendments for autonomy of CBI were discussed in the meeting.

He said some gaps are still there in the affidavit, which has to be filled up in the next meeting on June 24. Sibal further said after approval of the cabinet, the affidavit will be filed in the apex court by July 3.

According to reports, the GoM will deliberate on ways to further strengthen CBI"s autonomy and safeguard it from any kind of outside interferences.

The government's move came after the Supreme Court had called the CBI "a caged parrot" that "speaks in its master's voice after the investigating agency admitted in an affidavit that Ashwani Kumar, who quit as the Law Minister, and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office and the coal ministry had made certain changes in the report on the allocation of coal blocks.

The apex court, which reserved its harshest words for the CBI, calling it a "caged parrot with many masters", stressed the need for the CBI to operate independently of the political establishment.

"You are not a constable or head constable. You are a premier investigating agency and must learn to work under pressure. It (probe) is not a collaborative exercise between the CBI and ministry officials ... It is a sordid saga of many masters and one parrot," it said.