The CBI’s move to replace two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) with Inspectors in the fodder scam cases involving RJD leader lalu Prasad Yadav has run into controversy after the agency informed the Supreme Court that all important cases under its probe were handled either by DSP or Additional SP-level officers.
This fact emerged in the CBI’s latest affidavit in the Supreme Court, where the agency sought more autonomy with regard to administrative and financial functions, an aspect which the Court is monitoring in course of the coal scam investigation. With the CBI Director’s power limited to appoint officers up to the Inspector-level alone, the affidavit filed by Superintendent of Police Vidhi Kumar Birdi demanded that the CBI chief should be authorised by law to induct officers up to the rank of SP.
The reason he cited was, “In most of the important cases, IOs (investigating officers) are of the rank of DSP and Additional SP. It would thus immensely benefit the CBI in filling vacancies and ensuring smooth investigation in important cases if the Director CBI is empowered to induct officers up to the rank of SP.”
The same agency on July 1 justified removal of two DSPs from the fodder scam probe replacing them with Inspectors. After the apex court stayed the transfer of four DSPs supervising the scam, the CBI was forced to respond to the petition filed by JD(U) MP Rajeev Ranjan alias lallan who claimed that the move was aimed to weaken the case, which still was at a crucial stage of trial.
Taking cover behind a Departmental transfer policy that did not permit an officer to be posted at a branch beyond six years, the CBI informed the Court that two of the transferred officers had even been replaced. DSP BK Singh was replaced with Inspector OP Chandra, in supervising the trial of fodder scam case, RC 64(A)/96 while DSP Dasrath Murmu, pursuing the trial of fodder scam case RC 48(A)/96 was substituted with Inspector AK Sinha. Both cases were at prosecution evidence stage.
According to CBI, the four officers were due for transfer as they served over 11 years in the same branch. Their transfer orders were issued after Jhark
hand High Court gave the go ahead. The matter is still under review before apex court.