Public trust in CBI eroding because of ‘lopsided’ investigations: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court on Monday held that public trust in the Central Bureau of Investigation was deteriorating owing to the agency’s allegedly biased investigations, Bar and Bench reported.
“Nowadays the working culture of the CBI has reduced to the level of being criticised by everyone for their lopsided investigation,” the court said. “CBI officers think they have sky-high powers and no one can question them.”
The court also issued directives to the central agency to improve its investigative process and “regain the original image” in the eyes of the public.
The Madurai bench of Justice KK Ramakrishnan recommended that the director of the central agency must supervise investigations to ensure persons accused of crimes are properly included in the first information report and final report, Bar and Bench reported.
The court also ordered the director to supervise the manner in which evidence is collected or omitted from records.
A legal team must be set up within the agency to inform investigating officers of legal principles created by the Supreme Court to avoid registering “innocuous cases”, the bench said.
The court issued the directives while acquitting eight persons who were convicted in 2019 for allegedly defrauding a Tirunelveli bank of Rs 2 crore by sanctioning and availing loans without adhering to the guidelines, The New Indian Express reported.
The court noted that...
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