Tag: agencies

Anti-corruption agencies staring at permanent interference: Ex-CBI joint director

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Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation and other anti-corruption agencies in the country are staring at the predicament of “permanent interference” if a 2018 anti-graft law remains unchallenged, according to former CBI joint director Shantonu Sen.
Sen also said the CBI should reinstate the practice of having its own cadre of investigators, as those inducted into the probe agency from states are bound to be “conditioned” to interference.
“Anti-corruption agencies are now dependent on another authority for their right to investigate, whereas in law, the police should not be dependent on anybody to take up an investigation of crime because a thana’ (police station) does not have to seek somebody’s permission to investigate a murder or rape case,” Sen told PTI in an interview.

Sen, who is also an author and columnist, was referring to the insertion of Section 17(A) in the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) in July 2018, and later in 2021, the addition of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for processing of cases under the section.
“This section states that henceforth, no act of corruption mentioned in the PCA, except if somebody is trapped, will be enquired/inquired or investigated by any police officer without the permission of the appointing authority.
“So now, a police officer, in CBI or an anti-corruption agency, who was supposed to enquire into allegations of corruption and investigate that, cannot do it. This is unequal application of law” he said.
The SOPs under Section 17(A) came into force in September 2021. A central government notification states that the SOPs were introduced to standardise and operationalise procedures with a view to achieving uniform and effective implementation for prior approval processes under this section.
Sen, who also served as the OSD to Lt Governor of Delhi from 2007 to 2013, however, is apprehensive about the SOPs.

“It says that verification will be done by certain rank of police officers, as per their annexure and that verification, for instance, in case of a judge or a cabinet minister, will be conducted by the DGP himself. He will verify and ask for permission. Similarly, the ranks are decided for other cases. This is not equal application of law. And yet, nobody has challenged it,” he said.
The former CBI joint director said anti-corruption agencies are becoming less useful, as no public servant can now be investigated without the orders of the government.
“There was a perception, right from the 1970s, that the CBI is being interfered with. So, this interference is nothing new. The question before us is if this new law remains, the CBI and all anti-corruption agencies will be permanently interfered with. Should this not be challenged?” Sen added.
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#Anticorruption #agencies #staring #permanent #interference #ExCBI #joint #director
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 27, 2023
Central agencies lying to courts: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on CBI summons

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Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged that he knew he would be next in line to be summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) since the day he spoke against corruption in Delhi assembly.
Kejriwal was addressing a press conference in the national capital a day after he was summoned by the CBI on Sunday for questioning in the Delhi excise police case.
While talking to media persons, he said, “Central agencies are lying to courts against us in the liquor policy probe. Arrested people are being tortured, pressure is being created on them to nail us.”

He added, “The CBI has falsely accused Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case. People were beaten to obtain false statements. The agencies are torturing people for evidence. This was a great policy to eradicate corruption.”
The CBI has summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on April 16.
AAP leaders said that Kejriwal will appear before CBI for questioning.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, a key aide of Kejriwal, is in jail over alleged irregularities in the excise policy case.
Sisodia was arrested by ED and CBI in the ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy in Delhi.

The CBI arrested Sisodia on February 26, 2023. Later on March 9, the ED arrested him, after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail.
The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval.
The beneficiaries diverted “illegal” gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies said.
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#Central #agencies #lying #courts #Delhi #Arvind #Kejriwal #CBI #summons
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 15, 2023
‘Misuse of central agencies’: SC refuses to entertain plea of 14 parties

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea by 14 parties, led by the Congress, alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders and seeking guidelines for the future.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala said that “laying down general guidelines without having relation to facts of a case will be dangerous”.
Sensing the disinclination on the part of the top court in entertaining the plea, senior advocate A M Sighvi, appearing for the political parties, sought permission to withdraw the petition.

“Learned counsel seeks permission to withdraw the plea at this stage. The petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn,” the bench ordered.
“You please come back to us when you have an individual criminal case or group of cases,” the bench said.
The plea alleged an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent.
Besides the Congress, the parties that are part of the joint move are the DMK, RJD, BRS, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, JD(U), CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party and the J-K National Conference.

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#Misuse #central #agencies #refuses #entertain #plea #parties
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 5, 2023
‘Misuse’ of central probe agencies: SC to hear plea of 14 Oppn parties on April 5

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Wednesday a plea filed by 14 parties, led by the Congress, alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders and seeking guidelines for the future.
According to the list of businesses uploaded on the apex court website, the plea of opposition parties would be heard on April 5 by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud.
Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala are also part of the bench.

The joint plea was mentioned for urgent hearing on March 24 by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi.
“I am asking for the guidelines for the future. This is a remarkable convergence of 14 parties against the misuse of the agencies, both CBI and ED,” Singhvi had said and claimed that 95 percent of cases of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are against the leaders of opposition parties.
The senior lawyer referred to the rise in the number of cases filed by the CBI and ED after the NDA government came to power in 2014.
“Second statistics, pre-2014 and post-2014: there is a humongous jump in cases. The rate of conviction is four to five percent. We are asking for pre-arrest guidelines and post-arrest bail guidelines,” Singhvi had said.
The plea alleged there is an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent.

“Investigating agencies such as CBI and ED are being increasingly deployed in a selective and targeted manner with a view to completely crush political dissent and upend the fundamental premises of a representative democracy,” a statement issued on behalf of a petitioner alleged.
The plea filed through lawyer Shadan Farasat cited some statistics and said they demonstrated a “shocking and unconstitutional state of affairs”.
Besides the Congress, the parties that are part of the joint move are the DMK, RJD, BRS, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, JD(U), CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, and the J&K National Conference, the statement said.
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#Misuse #central #probe #agencies #hear #plea #Oppn #parties #April
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 2, 2023
Private agencies to remove animal remains from roads in Hyderabad

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Hyderabad: Taking cognisance of the inconvenience caused to citizens by the foul smell that comes out of animal carcasses, frequently seen lying on roadsides, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to direct private agencies to remove dead animals in all six GHMC zones.
GHMC has asked the agencies to remove the animal carcasses within 24 hours of receiving a complaint, failing which a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day will be imposed.
Stray dogs, cats, and other animals often get crushed by speeding vehicles on the roadsides, and dead birds, mostly pigeons, are left unattended for hours until stray dogs consume their leftovers. Presently, all the dead animals from GHMC limits are brought to the Carcass Utilisation Centre at Autonagar and disposed of through deep burial methods to prevent pollution and the spread of communicable diseases.
The work of lifting dead animals and their safe disposal at Autonagar will be assigned to the agencies at the zonal level.
To bring this move to effect, tenders have been invited by the corporation for all the zones, including Charminar, L B Nagar, Serilingampally, Kukatpally, Secunderabad, and Khairatabad.
An agency that gets selected will use covered four-wheeler vehicles, each fitted with a GPS for lifting the dead animals.
It was further directed by GHMC officials that the agencies should bury the carcasses deep in trenches and sprinkle lime over them before covering them with soil.
The contractor is not permitted to extract oil from the carcasses.

The contractor should possess a high-configuration mobile for receiving complaints round-the-clock and will be responsible for lifting all types of dead animals in the city area, including cattle, horses, cats, dogs, and dead animals from Animal Care Centres.
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#Private #agencies #remove #animal #remains #roads #Hyderabad
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 31, 2023
‘Misuse of central agencies’: 14 parties move SC; seek guidelines on arrest

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New Delhi: Fourteen political parties led by the Congress on Friday moved the Supreme Court against the alleged misuse of investigative agencies in arresting opposition leaders, and sought guidelines on arrest.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud for early hearing.
The top court agreed to hear the matter on April 5.
The counsel clarified that they are not attempting to affect the ongoing investigations.
The political parties sought laying down guidelines for law enforcing agencies and courts on arrest, remand, and bail.
The top court was informed that a majority of cases are against the opposition leaders.
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#Misuse #central #agencies #parties #move #seek #guidelines #arrest
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 24, 2023
BJP, like Congress, will be over for misusing central agencies: Akhilesh

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Kolkata: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asserted that the BJP would be politically finished in the days to come, “just like the Congress”, for allegedly misusing central agencies against opposition parties.
Yadav also pressed for the caste census which, he said, would be a major issue in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Earlier, the Congress used to misuse the central agencies, and now the BJP is doing the same. Congress is now finished. The BJP, too, will meet a similar fate. They are only sending agencies after those parties who are fighting the BJP,” he told a press conference here.
Asked whether the “misuse” of the central agencies will increase as the 2024 Lok Sabha election approaches, Yadav said, “It might be the case but it won’t help the saffron camp as preparations for the Lok Sabha polls would start in the next few months,”.
Speaking about the political resolution adopted in the two-day national executive held here from Saturday, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the party would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the BJP is defeated in UP and the country in the election next year.
“Uttar Pradesh is the only state which can stop the BJP as it has the largest number of seats. We will defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. The entire country is looking up to the Samajwadi Party. The BJP has told many lies, be it prices of diesel, petrol or LPG or price rise,” he said, adding that the saffron party is working for big corporate houses.
On Saturday, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said that the party has set a target of winning at least 50 of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 elections.
Asked what would be the plans of the proposed opposition front ahead of the general elections, Yadav said it won’t be disclosed.

“The goal is to defeat the BJP. Presently efforts are on to forge an opposition front. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao are making efforts (on their own),” he said.
When asked whether the Congress would be kept out of such a proposed opposition front, Yadav said, “The Congress is a national party, so it has to decide its role,”
Speaking on the Delhi Police action against Rahul Gandhi, Yadav wondered whether the BJP did it to help the Congress.
“Nobody knows whom the BJP is trying to target. They might take action against someone, but their target might be someone else,” he said.
The Delhi Police on Sunday reached the residence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with a notice issued to him over his “women are still being sexually assaulted” remark made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Yadav claimed that several political parties are keen on having a caste census in the country as it will help to reach out to various castes.
“Right now, the big issue is caste census. You can take along everyone only when you conduct a caste census. Social justice is never possible without a caste census. In 2014, the BJP’s slogan was Acche Din. In 2019, its slogan was Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas. So they must conduct it. All political parties from North to South favour the caste census. But the BJP is trying to avoid it,” he said.
He claimed that Congress during the UPA-2 regime had promised to conduct a caste census but later “backtracked” on it.
“Like the Congress, the saffron party is also not keen on conducting it. During the UPA rule, several leaders of various regional parties met then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The then Home Minister P Chidambaram assured them they would look into it. But nothing moved forward,” he said.
When asked whether the SP would contest elections outside Uttar Pradesh, Yadav replied in the affirmative.
“Wherever we have an organisation, we would contest the elections,” he said.
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#BJP #Congress #misusing #central #agencies #Akhilesh
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 19, 2023
Akhilesh slams Centre for misusing central agencies, to meet Mamata this evening

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Kolkata: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for misusing central agencies to “harass leaders and public representatives of opposition parties”, who pose a threat to the saffron camp.
Yadav, who is in the city to chair his party’s two-day national executive, is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday evening.
“The ED, CBI, and Income Tax are political weapons of the BJP. Here in Bengal, the instances are less. In Uttar Pradesh, several of our (SP) leaders, including MLAs, are in jail in false and fabricated cases,” he told reporters after reaching Kolkata airport.
“The BJP sends the ED and CBI to harass those opposition parties which threaten it,” he said.
Samajwadi Party is holding its two-day national executive in Kolkata from March 18 to discuss policies and strategies for the assembly election in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh later this year and the Lok Sabha poll in 2024, sources in SP said.
Yadav is also scheduled to address the workers meeting at Moulali Yuva Kendra this afternoon.
He will then go to Banerjee’s residence to meet her, the sources said.
The two leaders share a very cordial relationship.
Yadav had lent his party’s support to TMC during the 2021 Bengal assembly poll, which was reciprocated by Banerjee when she campaigned for the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister during the 2022 election in that state.

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#Akhilesh #slams #Centre #misusing #central #agencies #meet #Mamata #evening
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 17, 2023
APTECH Row: Why Blacklisted Agencies Are Allowed in Kashmir Only? DPAP Patron GN Azad

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Suhail Khan
Sopore, Mar 15 (GNS): Amid growing resentment and widespread protests by the JKSSB aspirants over latter’s purported hiring of ‘blacklisted’ APTECH company for conducting written examinations for recruitment to various posts, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) patron Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday questioned as to why the authorities are allowing blacklisted agencies to conduct exams in Jammu and Kashmir?
Speaking to media on the sidelines of a function in Sopore village, Azad, as per GNS, alleged that all the recruitment agencies in Jammu and Kashmir choose to conduct exams through the companies which otherwise have already been rejected and blacklisted by many states. “The trend to hire such companies has resulted in the postponement of exams many times in the last 5 years, something that hasn’t happened in the last 75 years.”
“At a time when thousands of youth are facing trouble in getting jobs, it is beyond one’s understanding as to why the authorities are hiring these blacklisted companies and end up putting the careers of youth on stake” Azad said adding ironically why such blacklisted agencies are being allowed in J&K only.
“The government should properly investigate such agencies for the sake of the careers of youth”, he said.
Pertinently, several political leaders, cutting across the party lines have backed the protests by job aspirants and have sought disallowance of the APTECH Company to hold any exams in Jammu and Kashmir. (GNS)
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#APTECH #Row #Blacklisted #Agencies #Allowed #Kashmir #DPAP #Patron #Azad

( With inputs from : thegnskashmir.com )

March 15, 2023
Recruitment Agencies Should Not Hire Already Blacklisted Companies : GN Azad

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SRINAGAR: Amid growing resentment and widespread protests by the JKSSB aspirants over latter’s purported hiring of ‘blacklisted’ APTECH company for conducting various written examinations, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) patron Ghulam Nabi Azad slammed the authorities for allowing a previously blacklisted agency to operate in Kashmir.
Speaking to media on the sidelines of a function in Sopore , Azad alleged that all the recruitment agencies in Jammu and Kashmir choose to conduct exams through the companies which otherwise have already been rejected and blacklisted by many states. “The trend to hire such companies has resulted in the postponement of exams many times in the last 5 years, something that hasn’t happened in the last 75 years.”
“At a time when thousands of youth are facing trouble in getting jobs, it is beyond one’s understanding as to why the authorities are hiring these blacklisted companies and end up putting the careers of youth at stake” , Azad said, adding, ironically why such blacklisted agencies are being allowed in JK only.
“The government should properly investigate such agencies for the sake of the careers of youth”, he said.
Pertinently, several political leaders, cutting across the party lines have backed the protests by job aspirants and have sought disallowance of the APTECH Company to hold any exams in Jammu and Kashmir. (GNS)

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#Recruitment #Agencies #Hire #Blacklisted #Companies #Azad
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

March 15, 2023