Maharashtra govt blocks CBI from probing cases in state without ‘consent’

Mumbai, Oct 21: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government on Wednesday, 21 October, revoked the "general consent" given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe cases in the state.

According to PTI sources, the move implies that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will not have general consent, accorded by the Maharashtra government by an order on February 22, 1989, to exercise its powers and jurisdiction in the state and will have to get the state governments permission to probe any matter.

Earlier this year, the Sushant Singh Rajput death case was being probed by Mumbai Police. However, the investigation into the case was later handed over to the CBI based on an FIR registered by the actor's father in Patna.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (25 of 1946), the Government of Maharashtra hereby withdraws the consent accorded to the members of Delhi Special Police Establishment," the order read.

The consent was given through an order of the Home Department dated February 22, 1989, as also by any other instruments issued by the state government from time to time, to exercise the powers and jurisdiction under the said Act in the state of Maharashtra, it read.

According to sources, if the CBI wants to probe any matter, it will have to approach the state government for its consent. "Though the general consent has been withdrawn, the government can decide on giving permission on a case to case basis," they said.

Before Maharashtra, three other Opposition-ruled states - Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal - had withdrawn its general consent to let the CBI investigate cases in their states.

Officials told Hindustan Times that this move won't affect the CBI investigation in the Sushant Singh Rajput case since it was mandated by Supreme Court and is not under the ambit of the general consent of the state.