Know Your Rights: How to file a complaint with CBI Central Bureau of Investigation | ADVOCOTE

Know Your Rights: How to file a complaint with CBI Central Bureau of Investigation | ADVOCOTE

The agency has a history of looking into a variety of corruption cases, special crimes, and economic crimes.

India’s top investigative body is the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has oversight over it. The agency, which was initially created to look into bribery and official corruption, later expanded its purview to include looking into multistate organised crime, violations of central laws that the Indian government is responsible for enforcing, as well as cases involving multiple agencies or international issues.

The agency has a history of looking into a variety of corruption cases, special crimes, and economic crimes. Additionally, it is the nodal police organisation in India that organises inquiries on behalf of Interpol member nations.

Groups within the CBI

1. Anti-Corruption Division – for the investigation of cases involving public officials and employees of the Central Government, public sector undertakings, corporations or bodies owned or controlled by the Government of India, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. It is the biggest division, present in practically all of India’s states.

2. Economic Offences Division: responsible for looking into serious economic frauds and financial scams, including offences involving counterfeit Indian currency notes, bank frauds, and cybercrime.

On petitions from state governments or according to orders from the Supreme Court and High Courts, the Special Crimes Division (iii) is responsible for investigating serious, sensational, and organized crime in accordance with the Indian Penal Code and other legislation. The investigating agency will not take on instances of routine crimes like robbery, theft, or murder until the Supreme Court of India or the state governments request it, which is a crucial point to remember.

Complaints that the CBI does not look into

The vigilance wing or local police are better equipped to address complaints that do not specifically allege bribery or corruption.

Complaints that exclusively concern private persons or state government workers.

The CBI does not accept anonymous or pseudonymous information or complaints, in compliance with the norms established by the Central Vigilance Commission of India. However, the complainant or informant might always ask to remain anonymous. The CBI takes all necessary precautions to guarantee that such individuals’ identities be kept a secret.

The CBI relies heavily on oral information given in confidence by individuals for its investigations into severe crimes and corruption. The CBI has a very well-defined policy regarding how to handle such information and informants, which is carefully adhered to.

Only the officer who received the information can interact with the informant. Even the senior officers of the officer who received the information cannot insist that the informant’s identify be revealed.

Such an informant’s identity is never recorded in any record. Even the courts are not informed. CBI doesn’t take any action on such information without first doing a covert verification. Such information is subjected to thorough verification while taking care to prevent the secrecy of the information from being revealed. A criminal case is only recorded and additional action is taken after confirming that a prima facie criminal case has been established.

How can a complaint be made to the CBI?

A complaint can be submitted in person, via letter, SMS from a mobile device, phone call, emailing the branch’s officers, putting the information on the website, or by posting the information/complaint online.

CBI in Mumbai’s contact information

Bandra (East), Mumbai 400098 Plot No. C-35A, ‘G’ Block, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Near MTNL Exchange Contact Information: 022-26529938; 022-26529934; https://cbi.gov.in