Supreme Court Emphasizes Caution in CBI Investigations
The Supreme Court has stated that constitutional courts should not routinely order investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Instead, it emphasized that such powers should be exercised with restraint and caution.
This remark came from a bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, who dismissed an order from the Allahabad High Court that directed a CBI inquiry into alleged irregularities in the recruitment process for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council staff.
The apex court clarified that the authority to direct a CBI investigation should be used judiciously, only in extraordinary circumstances.
The bench reiterated, "This court has consistently warned that a CBI investigation cannot be ordered merely because a party has expressed distrust in the state police or raised suspicions against it."
It added, "The concerned court must be satisfied that the material presented indicates a prima facie offense and that a CBI investigation is necessary to ensure a fair and impartial inquiry, or that the case is so complex, extensive, or nationally significant that the expertise of a central agency is warranted."
The Supreme Court further stated that ordering a CBI investigation should be viewed as a last resort, appropriate only when the constitutional court is convinced that the integrity or fairness of the investigative process is seriously compromised.
Additionally, the court noted that constitutional courts must exercise sufficient judicial restraint to avoid burdening specialized agencies like the CBI with cases that do not fall into the category of extraordinary circumstances.