Bangalore: The Karnataka state Cabinet made a significant decision on Thursday to withdraw its earlier notification granting unrestricted permission for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct investigations within the state. This move comes amidst mounting calls for a CBI probe against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the MUDA land scam case, particularly after a court directed the anti-corruption body Lokayukta to initiate an investigation.

Previously, under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, the Karnataka government had allowed the CBI to carry out criminal investigations freely. However, the Cabinet's recent decision appears to be a strategic step to prevent potential interference in Siddaramaiah's affairs by the CBI, which could have launched an inquiry under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI, functioning under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DPSEA), is limited to Delhi's jurisdiction and requires state government consent to conduct investigations in other regions. Karnataka Minister HK Patil explained the Cabinet's decision, alleging that the CBI has been misused in the past, leading the state to withdraw its consent.

"We have decided to withdraw the blanket permission for CBI investigations. If the court decides to hand over a case to the CBI, then we have no relevance. The CBI is being misused, and they have refused to file chargesheets in several cases," Minister Patil stated. Despite the timing of the decision, the minister insisted it was not specifically tied to the MUDA case, which involves allegations of irregularities concerning the allotment of sites to Siddaramaiah's wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). "We have taken this decision to prevent them (CBI) from going down the wrong path," he asserted.

The CBI requires two types of consent for probes: general and specific. General consent allows the agency to investigate without needing fresh permission each time it operates in the state. With the withdrawal of general consent, the CBI must now seek case-specific approval from the state government for investigations, lacking police powers without it. The question now looms: Is CM Siddaramaiah genuinely concerned about a probe, or is this a calculated move to shield himself from scrutiny?

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