Punjab on Tuesday has become the ninth state to withdraw the general consent accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out investigations in the state.
With this decision, Punjab has joined the ranks of other-opposition ruled states including which have already withdrawn consent to the investigation agency.
However, with this move, the CBI will now have to seek permission from the state government to conduct probe in the cases across the state. This decision comes a day after Jharkhand issued similar orders.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the Amarinder Singh government said it was withdrawing general consent and "prior consent of the Government of Punjab" would be required in the future, on a "case-to-case basis" for any future investigation.
"...the Government of Punjab hereby withdraws the general consent accorded to the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment, anytime herein before. In view of revocation of all previous general consents issued earlier, prior consent of the Government of Punjab shall be required, hereinafter, on a case-to-case basis for investigation of any offence or class of offences..." the notification said.
The opposition states which have already ruled out the consent include Kerala, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. It has been alleged by these states that the BJP-led government at the Centre was misusing the agency to harass political opponents.
Notably, Punjab CM and his family were being served with ED notices following the amendments made in Farm Laws contentiously passed by the Centre to safeguard the interest of state farmers in agriculture.
Punjab CM and a few prominent figures of the party have questioned the timing of the notices.
However, upon the withdrawal of consent BJP national general secretary, Tarun Chugh has a strong exception to the manner.
In a statement today Chugh said that there was apparently no provocation to do that. But it seems the Amarinder Singh government was scared that various mafia gangs working in the state, majorly under the patronage of the Congress leaders, did not come under the CBI investigation.
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"We all know how a large number of mafia gangs are operating in sand mining, drug peddling and illicit liquor distribution. The entire state has converted into a mafia state where the police was deliberately turning a blind eye to such nefarious operations. It seems that the Congress government has found an escape route by shutting the doors on the CBI," said Chugh.
The drug racket unearthed in Ludhiana with the seizure of 200 kg heroin seems to be a tip in the iceberg and there are indications that many such gangs have been working in Punjab peddling drugs among the youth.
He said the post-matric scholarship scam in which lakhs of poor SC students have been defrauded is another case that has brought shame to Punjab. Even though the Centre is looking into the matter because it is the central grant of Rs 303 crores that has been embezzled, the Amarinder Singh government surely feared that the CBI might not take over the investigation into the case in which Cabinet Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and another Congress MLA are involved.
He said last week he had demanded the CBI to take over the investigation into the case to help lakhs of SC students in Punjab who are on road without jobs after completing their educational courses.
Similarly, mining gangs have been working under the patronage of Congress leaders which needs to be investigated by the CBI.
"Obviously, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wants the mafia raj to continue in the state that is why the consent to CBI has been withdrawn", Chugh added.