CBI told SC, more autonomy needed for autonomy

New Delhi: The CBI told the Supreme Court that its Director should be given a minimum three-year term instead of two with a rank equal to a Secretary and sought more financial autonomy while rejecting Centre’s proposal for an accountability panel for it.

It opposed Centre’s move to set up an accountability commission to inquire into allegations of misbehaviour, impropriety or irregularities of its officials.

In its response to Centre’s proposal on the autonomy issue, the CBI stressed that minimum tenure for its Director should be three years against two years proposed by the government and said that more power be given to him to make the agency “discharge its core function without fear or favour”.

The agency said that under this system the Director would be independent of the Ministry as far as investigation is concerned and would continue to be accountable to the Minister for administrative and financial matters.