Stay away from ‘fake’ media: CBI

Stay away from people who “pose as media persons”, they can trap you in a sting operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has told its sleuths, reports Sumit Saxena.

Stay away from people who “pose as media persons”, they can trap you in a sting operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has told its sleuths.

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The investigating agency resorted to an alert message after recent leaks in the media about a fraud case allegedly involving US-based hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal.

From Ottavio Quattrocchi to Chatwal, in the past one year, many skeletons have tumbled out of the CBI’s closet.

According to a source in the CBI, the top officials have deliberated the move after facing the heat from the Central government after leaks in various high profile cases.

A CBI officer, on the condition of anonymity, as he isn’t authorised to speak to media, said, “A strict warning has been issued regarding interactions with media people.”

“Senior officials are worried that agency officers could be trapped in sting operations,” the officer added.

CBI Information Officer R.K. Gaud said, “It is a routine circular wherein we have warned our officers to stay away from fake media people.”

“The CBI has never shied from the media, as you have right to know all the real issues.”

According to sources, top Home Ministry officials were upset about excessive coverage of hotelier Chatwal’s CBI

cases in the media and, as a consequence, have issued orders to stop the CBI officials from interacting with the media.