Why is Pandit Nehru being credited for Chidambaram’s arrest

New Delhi, Aug 22: There is a very interesting discussion that is on in the aftermath of former finance minister being arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the INX Media case.

A lot of people on Twitter are thanking Jawaharlal Nehru for the arrest as it was he who set up the CBI in 1963. "Are you happy with Chidambaram's arrest by CBI. Are you celebrating? If yes, credit must be given to Pt Nehru," read a tweet by @theskindoctor. There are several funny tweets under the hashtag CBI in 1963, which you can check out below.

A brief history on CBI:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) traces its origin to the Special Police Establishment (SPE) which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India. The functions of the SPE then were to investigate cases of bribery and corruption in transactions with the War & Supply Deptt. of India during World War II. Superintendence of the S.P.E. was vested with the War Department.

Even after the end of the War, the need for a Central Government agency to investigate cases of bribery and corruption by Central Government employees was felt. The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act was therefore brought into force in 1946.

This Act transferred the superintendence of the SPE to the Home Department and its functions were enlarged to cover all departments of the Govt. of India. The jurisdiction of the SPE extended to all the Union Territories and could be extended also to the States with the consent of the State Government concerned.

The DSPE acquired its popular current name, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through a Home Ministry resolution dated 1.4.1963. Initially the offences that were notified by the Central Government related only to corruption by Central Govt. servants.

In due course, with the setting up of a large number of public sector undertakings, the employees of these undertakings were also brought under CBI purview.

Similarly, with the nationalisation of the banks in 1969, the Public Sector Banks and their employees also came within the ambit of the CBI.

The founder director of the CBI was D P Kohli who held office from 1st April, 1963 to 31st May, 1968.

Before this, he was Inspector-General of Police of the Special Police Establishment from 1955 to 1963.

Before that he held responsible positions in police in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Govt. of India.

He was Police Chief in Madhya Bharat before joining the SPE. Kohli was awarded 'Padma Bhushan' in 1967 for his distinguished services, says the CBI website.