Twitter
Advertisement

dna special: Sanction to prosecute ex-IB chief likely to be delayed

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

The CBI will likely have to wait until the next government is in place to obtain a sanction to prosecute former special director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), Rajendra Kumar, for serious offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and kidnapping in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case.

Government sources told dna that under intense pressure from the IB and a powerful section of the IPS lobby, the Union home ministry is unlikely to give sanction to prosecute Kumar, a 1979 batch IPS officer, who retired last year as special director of the IB.

"Though politically the government may be inclined to give sanction to prosecute Kumar, this is an important reason in Kumar's favour and can lead to a rift between a strong section of the IPS lobby and the government. It can also lead to unearthing of some other unsavoury episodes," said sources.

While the CBI has already filed a charge-sheet against Kumar without securing the prosecution sanction, Attorney General GE Vahanwati, in a recent opinion, observed that Kumar's case falls under section 197 of the criminal code procedure as he was discharging his official duty and thus the CBI requires the home ministry's permission to prosecute him.

Several factors are at play in the current imbroglio. While the CBI is keen to take the case to its logical end, which has the potential to mar the image of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, the IB is enraged at the potential arrest and conviction of one their senior most officials and is desperate to save its image. The IB also feels that the move leading to Kumar's arrest could set a wrong precedent and harm its future operations.

Kumar had earlier described the CBI's charges as "complete falsehood" and claimed that all four, including Ishrat Jahan killed in the 2004 encounter were indeed a part of a terror plot and that his action related to counter-terrorism involved no criminality.

The CBI, however, has alleged that Kumar provided the weapons used in the fake encounter and an AK-56 was planted at the encounter site.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement