CBI defends U-turn on Mulayam asset's case

CBI director Ashwini Kumar on Wednesday defended the U-turn of the agency in Mulayam Singh Yadav's case saying the investigating agency was bound by the rules to consult the Government before going to any court.
    
"That is as per rules and procedures. Whenever we go to Supreme Court and High Court, we go through the government of India and through the Ministry of Law," Kumar said reacting to the apex Court's observations.
    
The reaction from the CBI director came a day after the Supreme Court rapped the CBI for "acting at the behest" of the Centre in the disproportionate assets case against Yadav and his family members.
    
"We cannot file any affidavit without going through the Ministry...," he said.
    
Ironically, during the tenure of Vijay Shankar, Kumar's predecessor, the CBI, in its affidavit had said, it was willing to place the status report directly before the apex court, instead of submitting the same to the government.
    
The CBI had also said in its affidavit that it had quoted rules and submitted as per the practice, after a preliminary enquiry undertaken by it, which discloses commission of offence by the persons concerned, and a regular case is registered and investigation in accordance with law is undertaken.