CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (CBI)

About:

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India. It investigates several economic crimes and special crimes.
  
  
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  
  
• It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
  
  
• History:
  • The CBI traces its origin to the Special Police Establishment (SPE) which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India.
    
    
  • The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 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 DSPE acquired its popular current name, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through a Home Ministry resolution dated 1.4.1963.
    
    
  • Since 1987, there are two investigation divisions in the CBI, namely, Anti-Corruption Division and Special Crimes Division, the latter dealing with cases of conventional crime, besides economic offences.
    
    
  
  
  

Summary of Parliamentary Standing Committee report on CBI:

• Findings:
  • Increasing number of cases are now being referred to the CBI pertaining to areas like internal security, cybercrimes, corruption, financial irregularities.
    
    
  • In the background of increasing responsibilities, the nation cannot afford to have CBI understaffed and thus ill-prepared.
    
    
  • However, the level of vacant positions in executive rank, law officers and technical officers is about 16, 28 and 56% respectively. At the top level, out of four posts of Special Director or Additional Director, three are lying vacant.
    
    
  • Though PM Modi in 2015 announced setting up of the International Centre of Excellence in Investigation (ICEI-CBI) at the CBI Academy in Ghaziabad, it is still pending at various stages of approval.
    
    
  
  
  
• Recommendations:
  • To overcome the problem of vacancies in the CBI, the government should simplify recruitment rules to overcome the procedural bottlenecks.
    
    
  • The government may also consider making terms of deputation to the CBI more rewarding in order to attract best officers from the State police forces, Central paramilitary forces, Intelligence Bureau, etc.
    
    
  • Expedite the approvals for setting up the ICEI-CBI centre which would offer world-class certified courses on investigation and prosecution in specialised and emerging domains of crime including cyber crime.