The Rajasthan Government on Monday withdrew its “general consent” to the CBI to conduct raids and investigations soon after the CBI questioned Congress MLA Krishna Poonia in Jaipur in connection with the alleged suicide by Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajgarh, Vishnudutt Vishnoi, in Churu district of the State.
After the Rajasthan Government’s decision the agency will now need prior permission from the State, a development which comes amid a political crisis in Rajasthan.
The State Government issued a notification requiring the CBI to take prior consent of the State Government for investigation of an offence under Section 3 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946. According to the officials, the “general consent” of the State Government will no longer be valid in the offences under this law. Consent will have to be taken on a case-by-case basis.
Additional Chief Secretary Home Rohit Kumar Singh said, “Its administrative provisions were already there, it was notified yesterday.” Officials said that in June 1990 too the Rajasthan Government had refused to give such ‘’general consent’’ to the Centre.
Earlier, a CBI team led by a Superintendent of Police of the Special Crimes Unit from the agency headquarters here reached the residence of the Olympian and the Congress legislator in Jaipur.
SHO Vishnudutt Vishnoi’s body was found hanging from the ceiling of his residence on May 23.
Two suicide notes were recovered by the local police probing the case from Vishnoi, one addressed to his parents and the other to the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Churu district. In the note addressed to his parents, he had sought forgiveness.
In the suicide note to the police, Vishnoi had said he was not able to bear the pressure put on him. In note, he had also asserted that he tried to give his best to the Rajasthan Police.
A screenshot of a purported WhatsApp chat that Vishnudutt Vishnoi had with one of his activist friends, in which the police officer talked about being trapped in dirty politics, had also gone viral.
Poonia represents the Sadulpur constituency in Churu district of Rajasthan and was recently granted Z Category security cover by the State Government following threat to her life on a recommendation of the CID.
Discus thrower Krishna Poonia represented India at 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Poonia is an international gold-medalist discus thrower and recipient of Padma Shri and Arjuna awards. She had won a Gold Medal in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and holds the National Record for the longest discus throw of 64.76 meters.
The Rajasthan Government had handed over the probe to the CBI in the case on June 5. The case was earlier being probed by the Crime Investigation Department of the Crime Branch of the State police.
Earlier the BJP and BSP leaders had alleged that the deceased police official, known for his honesty and hard work, was being pressured by local Congress MLA Krishna Poonia, a charge denied by the legislator.
This besides, a delegation of Vishnoi community members had also met Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanding a CBI probe into the matter. These calls led to the transfer of the case to the CBI for an independent probe.
The Vishnoi community delegation that met Gehlot on June 1 included State Forest Minister Sukhram Vishnoi, Higher Education Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati, Haryana Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, Rajasthan BJP MLAs Pabba Ram and Biharilal besides former MP Jaswant Singh Bishnoi and others.