Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director A.P. Singh and Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) Pradeep Kumar Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to express their concern about their autonomy being affected if the two agencies are brought under the Lokpal, sources said.

Asked whether there were any objections about the CBI investigation wing being under the proposed Lokpal, Singh said: “No”.

Singh however said there were objections to dividing the agency as recommended by the report of the parliamentary standing committee on the Lokpal bill headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The meeting with the prime minister came ahead of an all-party meet to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal issue. The government had also held a meeting with its allies Tuesday and arrived at a “broad consensus”.

According to sources, the CBI director expressed his reservations on the imposition of any timeline for investigations to be completed.

The CBI has also opposed the supervision format being suggested by various political parties in the proposed Lokpal bill, it is learnt.

CVC Pradeep Kumar also spoke about the administrative mechanism and pointed out that the organisation was set up on Supreme Court’s directive, sources said.

According to sources, the government is considering bringing the prosecution wing of the CBI under the Lokpal. The standing committee on the Lokpal bill has also backed the proposal.

However, Hazare and his team want CBI’s investigation wing under the Lokpal Bill.

Meanwhile, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters that they wanted the CBI to come under the Lokpal, but will not speculate about the meeting the CBI director had with the prime minister.

“We feel that the Lokpal without its own investigation arm, without the CBI under it, the Lokpal can be only a tinbox,” he said.