CBI told to wrap up probe in 2 months
The CIC has directed the CBI to wrap up investigation into a nine-year-old murder case in the next two months and then provide the information sought by the victim’s family, reports Chetan Chauhan.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to wrap up investigation into a nine-year-old murder case in the next two months and then provide the information sought by the victim’s family.
“We direct that the investigating agency makes every effort to complete the investigation, which has already taken excessively long, within two months,” said Chief Information Commission Wajahat Habibullah.
The CBI denied the charge that there has been a nine-year delay in the probe.
The victim’s brother, Ranjit Singh, had filed an application, saying the delay in providing information will help the culprits.
The CBI rejected the application, citing section 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, which prohibits providing information that can impede an ongoing investigation. It also expressed inability to part with information, arguing that Section 172 of the Criminal Procedure Code lays down that an investigating officer can present case dairies only to the trial court.
In light of the CBI’s legal position, the CIC refused to direct the agency to reveal the information sought, but asked it to complete the probe within two months so that the information could be provided to the RTI applicant.
The CIC also said that the exemption under section 8 of the RTI Act should be used sparingly.