About CBI

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) , functioning under Dept. of Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, Pension & Public Grievances, Government of India, is the premier investigating police agency in India.
• It is also the nodal police agency in India which coordinates investigation on behalf of Interpol Member countries.
• CBI derives power to investigate from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.

Cases handled by CBI:

CBI has grown into a multidisciplinary investigation agency over a period of time. At present,it has the following divisions for investigation of crime:-

• Anti-Corruption Division – for investigation of cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Public officials and the employees of Central Government, Public Sector Undertakings, Corporations or Bodies owned or controlled by the Government of India – it is the largest division having presence almost in all the States of India.
• Economic Offences Division – for investigation of major financial scams and serious economic frauds, including crimes relating to Fake Indian Currency Notes, Bank Frauds and Cyber Crime.
• Special Crimes Division – for investigation of serious, sensational and organized crime under the Indian Penal Code and other laws on the requests of State Governments or on the orders of the Supreme Court and High Courts.

Suo Moto Cases

•  CBI can suo-moto take up investigation of offences only in the Union Territories.
• The Central Government can authorize CBI to investigate a crime in a State but only with the consent of the concerned State Government.
• The Supreme Court and High Courts, however, can order CBI to investigate a crime anywhere in the country without the consent of the State.

Why in News?

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to hand over to the CBI the probe into the recent deaths of a father and son at Sathankulam (Thoothukudi ,T.N).