Maharashtra withdrew consent to CBI in the interest of state: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

The Sena MP alleged that central agencies like the CBI were used to defame states ruled by parties other than the BJP

A day after the Maharashtra government withdrew the general consent accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe cases in the state, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said the decision was taken in view of the central agency’s interference in the matters already being probed by the state police.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. (File photo)

Shiv Sena leader and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged that the CBI and other central agencies were used to defame states ruled by parties other than the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Such decisions have to be taken to protect the rights of the State when agencies like the CBI, Enforcement Directorate, National Commission for Women, which have some authority to investigate, are used to create trouble for or defame governments of parties other than the BJP. The same has happened in West Bengal, it was done in Andhra Pradesh, and some more states have also done it,” Raut told reporters on Thursday.

The state government’s decision came a day after the central agency said it would investigate the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) fraud case after registering an FIR on the recommendation of the Uttar Pradesh government.

Before the TRP case, the Mumbai Police was locked in a jurisdictional tussle with the Centre and the CBI over the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput on June 14 in what the police called an open-and-shut case of suicide.

A political controversy erupted after a Bihar police team constituted to probe the case on a complaint by the actor’s family in Patna alleged it got no cooperation from its Mumbai counterpart. Subsequently, CBI took over the case on Bihar’s request.