Govt committed to ensure no interference in CBI probe: Sibal

The government today said it is committed to ensure that there is no interference in investigations carried out by CBI or other agencies and that autonomy should come with accountability.

The Group of Ministers constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on appropriate law being made to provide for the independence of CBI and its functional autonomy, as directed by the Supreme Court, concluded its hearing today and would place its recommendations before the Cabinet on June 27.

Emerging from the one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting in which CBI Director Ranjit Sinha was also called to present his point of view, Law Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters that once Cabinet gives its views on changes proposed by the GoM, an affidavit would be submitted before the Supreme Court in this regard on July 6.

"We have decided and that is fundamental principle of the Constitution that there should be no interference of government or any other agency in the probe carried out CBI or any other agency. We are committed to that. We feel that there should be accountability along with autonomy," he said.

He said the group would move the Cabinet on June 27 for the changes that will be made "to ensure that there is no interference, whatsoever, in the processes of investigation" of the CBI either by government or by any other authority.

The government's move came after the Supreme Court had indicted CBI for being a "caged parrot" of its political masters while hearing a case related to alleged irregularities in coal blocks allocation and directed it to make an effort to come out with a law to insulate CBI from external influence and intrusion.

Chaired by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the GoM also includes External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy. In today's meeting Khurshid was not present, sources said.