After AP, Mamata Banerjee on warpath; bars CBI's working in state

Kolkata: Virtually going on the warpath with the Centre, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday barred the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from working in West Bengal few hours after she publicly endorsed her Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu’s move to ban the Central agency’s entry to that state for probing cases.

On Friday afternoon, the Trinamul Congress supremo declared at the party’s extended core committee meeting that she would not also allow the CBI to be in West Bengal. Referring to Mr Naidu she said, “He has taken the right step. I also will not allow the CBI to enter our state. The CBI receives instructions from the BJP. We are exploring legal options in this regard.”

After the programme, the chief minister went to Chandannagore and then returned to Nabanna in the evening. She convened a meeting in which chief secretary Malay De, home secretary Atri Bhattac-harya and several other senior officials from the administration were present to discuss the CBI’s function. The meeting continued for almost two hours.

According to sources, the state government has withdrawn its “general consent” given to the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act for the CBI to function in 1989 when the CPI(M)-led Left Front was in power. The “general consent” was given by all the states to the Centre then to allow the CBI function across the country independently, sources revealed.

Its withdrawal would imply that the CBI would now have to seek permission from the Mamata Banerjee government to carry out any search and probe in any case anywhere in the state, sources disclosed. The CBI can act only if and when the state government gives it the permission. The state government’s order however will not affect the ongoing probe by the CBI in high profile cases like the chit funds scams and Narada sting operations as they have been started following orders from the courts.

Lashing out at Ms Banerjee, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “Why has the state government taken this decision? Because it was the same government which went upto the Supreme Court to try to stall the CBI probe in scams like chit funds. By issuing such an order the government not only displayed its autocracy but also a motive to be an exception within the country where it does not want to follow the law of the land.”

BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha also questioned the chief minister’s support to Mr Naidu. He claimed that the Trinamul chief was trying to cover up scams in which its leaders have been involved. Attacking the Trinamul, CPI(M) MP Mohammed Salim said, “They are now busy to save themselves. Who will save the people of the state? Ms Banerjee once used to cry for CBI probe. Now she is upto block it.”

Leader of the Opposition Abdul Mannan, however, targeted the BJP rather than the Trinamul for its politics in the CBI. He said, “Although there is a legal provision, the state government can not stop the CBI from its functions in the state if it is ordered by the HC or SC.”