CBI

Dr. Anu Prasannan

• CBI traces its origin to Special Police Establishment(SPE) which
was set up in 1941 by the Govt. of India
• It’s functions were to investigate cases of corruption and bribery
in transactions with the War & Supply Deptt. of India during
World War II.
• Superintendence of the S.P.E. was vested with the War
Department. 
• Even after the end of the War, the need for a Central
Government agency to investigate cases of bribery and
corruption by Central Government employees was felt.
• The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act was therefore
brought into force in 1946. 
• This Act transferred the superintendence of the SPE to the Home
Department and its functions were enlarged to cover all
departments of the Govt. of India. 
• The jurisdiction of the SPE extended to all the Union Territories
and could be extended also to the States with the consent of the
State Government concerned.
• In 1948 a post of IG of Police, SPE was created and the
organization was placed under his charge.
• In 1953 enforcement wing was added to SPE and was
authorized to investigate offences under the Prevention of
Corruption Act 1947
• In spite of this, a growing need was felt for a Central Police
Agency at the disposal of Central Govt. which could
investigate cases of bribery and corruption, Central fiscal
laws, major frauds etc.
• Therefore, Govt. of India set up CBI by a resolution dated
1963
• Thus CBI was established in 1963 with the following
divisions
-Investigation and Anti-corruption Division (Delhi
Special Police Establishment)
-Technical Division
-Crime Records and Statistical Division
-Research Division
-Legal and General Division
-Administrative Division
• CBI’s power to investigate cases is derived from DSPE Act.
• Initially the offences that were notified by the Central
Government related only to corruption by Central Govt.
servants.
•  In due course, with the setting up of a large number of
public sector undertakings, the employees of these
undertakings were also brought under CBI purview
• Similarly, with the nationalisation of the banks in 1969,
the Public Sector Banks and their employees also came
within the ambit of the CBI.
• From 1965 onwards, the CBI has also been
entrusted with the investigation of Economic
Offences and important conventional crimes
such as murders, kidnapping, terrorist crimes,
etc., on a selective basis.
 Widening the role of CBI
• As mentioned CBI started investigating cases of
conventional nature like murder, kidnapping etc
• SC and HC also started entrusting such cases to CBI for
investigation based on petitions by aggrieved parties
• Thus in 1987 it was decided  to constitute two
investigation divisions in the CBI, namely, Anti-
Corruption Division and Special Crimes Division, the
latter dealing with cases of conventional crime,
besides economic offences.
• With the CVC Act, 2003 it provides mechanism
for selection of Director, CBI and other officers
of the rank of SP and above in CBI.
 Organisational structure
• The CBI is headed by a Director.
• The other police ranks in CBI are Special
Director/Addl. Director, Joint Director, Dy.
Inspr. General of Police, Inspector, Sub-
Inspector, Assistant Sub-Inspector, Head
Constable and Constable.
 Political Interference
• Cases assigned to the CBI are sensitive and of
national importance
• The agency has been criticized for its mishandling of
several scams
-Bofors scandal
-2G Spectrum
-Hawala Scandal
-Prinka Mattoo Murder Case
-Sister Abhaya Case
• Read the controversial corruption charges
between Alok Verma, director of CBI and his
deputy Rakesh Asthana
• Ranjit Sinha, again a former CBI director was
involved in fodder scam case.