Kerala on Wednesday joined the list of non-BJP-ruled states of West Rajasthan, Bengal, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh to withdraw its general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision, which was on the table for quite some time, was finalized in the Cabinet meeting.  Henceforth, the probe agency will have to seek prior permission from the state government before registering a case in the state.

As per sources, the immediate provocation for the move was registering of a CBI case in the ‘life mission’ housing project, a flagship initiative of the Kerala government to provide shelter and housing to the homeless. The high court had stayed the CBI investigation for two months.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that various central investigating agencies questioning into the gold smuggling case are exceeding their jurisdiction in a concerted effort to malign and destabilize the constitutionally elected government in the state.

Congress-led Chhattisgarh withdrew the general consent to CBI in January 2019. And in July 2020, the Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan followed the same path. The Kerala government and the CBI are in conflict on account of CBI’s ongoing probe into Life Mission, a state housing project for the homeless. The CBI was probing alleged irregularities in this project. In October, the Kerala high court stayed CBI investigation considering a plea by the state government.

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