Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has reinstated 'general consent' to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), months after it was withdrawn by the state government, led by the Jagan's predecessor, N Chandrababu Naidu. The decision came after Jagan enquired about the status of general consent during a meeting last week.
Taking to Twitter, YSRCP General Secretary Vijayasai Reddy, known to be a close aide of Jagan, said, “Chandrababu Naidu had started an agitation that no one should question him. He banned the CBI, prevented IT raids, and objected ED searches. Now, Jagan has issued directions allowing CBI in the state. The thieves are no longer protected. Are you seeing this Chandrababu?”
తానేం చేసినా అడ్డుకోరాదని చంద్రబాబు ఒక ఉద్యమమే చేశారు. సీబీఐని బ్యాన్ చేశారు. ఐటీ దాడులను అడ్డుకున్నారు. ఈడీ ఎలా వస్తుందని గుడ్లురిమారు. సీబీఐని రాష్ట్రంలోకి అనుమతిస్తూ జగన్ గారు ఆదేశాలు జారీ చేశారు. దొంగలను రక్షించేది లేదని తేల్చిచెప్పారు. చూస్తున్నారా చంద్రబాబూ?
— Vijayasai Reddy V (@VSReddy_MP) June 3, 2019
Orders are issued to give general consent to the CBI to exercise its powers and jurisdiction in the state under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946. It is under this Act that the CBI exercises its jurisdiction in states. On August 3, 2018, the Naidu government issued orders giving its general consent to the CBI to exercise its powers and jurisdiction in the state.
In November 2018, as the relationship between the Centre and state government soured, the Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra government withdrew general consent. In the absence of this consent, the CBI cannot be involved in any case that takes place within the limits of the state.
At the time, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also followed suit and revoked the general consent of the CBI. Naidu's decision was also backed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
This led to an ugly spat and strained Centre-state relations as in December 2018, the CBI even accused the Andhra Pradesh government of ‘non-cooperation’ and said that it ‘leaked’ the contents of a request letter to the state’s Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).
“CBI deeply regrets such non-cooperation by the state Home Department in this matter. This will only make the fight against corruption more difficult for the anti-corruption agencies and the mutual trust between the agencies will be vitiated. Corruption can be eradicated only through mutual cooperation, and trust,” a statement had said.