- Sujal Pradhan, NET Correspondent, Sikkim
Demands seeking for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe has once again flared-up along the northeastern state of Sikkim, as the Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay today raised the clamour, and informed that state government will soon initiate a CBI investigation into massive corruption.
He informed the same, while addressing the Government employees & pensioner meet held at Soreng today.
Its worthy to note that Sikkimey Nagarik Samaj (SNS) recently apprised about CBI probe into the massive corruption happening in Sikkim.
The SNS team led by Chief Patron, Tseten Tashi Bhutia and President Bharat Basnet called-on the CBI Director on November 17, 2021 and sought for immediate action into the matter.
This is not the first time, CBI stood to be the centre of a clamour. In the past, SKM party had demanded CBI probe several times, against the then ruling-party SDF.
Few months back, the General Secretary and Spokesperson of Hamro Sikkim party Biraj Adhikari also lambasted the Golay-led government, and said tackling corruption with CBI was one of major electoral promises made by the SKM.
In a notification issued by the erstwhile Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government in 2010, the party had mandated the Central probe agency to seek its prior consent, before taking up an investigation against any of its officers or public representatives.
Besides, the SDF Chief Pawan Chamling had also challenged SKM led government openly to bring CBI in Sikkim and he doesn’t fear such investigations.
The SKM had moved a writ petition in the High Court for quashing the notification, but it was dismissed.
In 1976, Sikkim had conveyed to the Centre its consent about the extension of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act 1946 to the north-eastern State. The consent was, however, withdrawn during the second term of the then Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari.
Furthermore, the Section 6 of DSPE Act prohibits the agency from investigating cases outside Delhi (and Union Territories) without permission from the respective State governments. The Supreme Court (SC) and High Courts (HCs) can direct the CBI to probe any case in any State.
