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Govt silent on CBI request for legal experts

By Sanjoy Ray

GUWAHATI, Aug 6 - Assam Police�s most potent investigating wing in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), currently probing three of the most high-profile scams that had cost the State exchequer nearly Rs 150 crore, does not seem to be getting the right kind of vibes from the government when it comes to making the investigations watertight.

Despite repeated submissions made by the CID to empower it with a team of legal experts to add teeth to the ongoing investigation into these three multi-crore-rupee scams, the home and political department at Janata Bhawan has maintained a silence and is reportedly reluctant to take a call on the plea.

While the two scams in the agriculture department is worth over Rs 100 crore, the BG bonded warehouse tax evasion scam in the excise department, according to CID sources, could go well beyond Rs 40 crore.

Top officials of the CID, according to the sources, had moved the home and political department thrice in the last six months seeking an empanelled team of legal experts to assist them in the three high-profile cases, but to no avail.

While the first correspondence was done by the CID in January this year, the remaining two letters reiterating the need for having a team of lawyers headed by a special public prosecutor were posted in May.

In fact, a proposal was also given to the State government asking the latter to convene a meeting on the appointment of special public prosecutor(s) for the CID involving stakeholders, including Assam Police headquarters, CID, home department and judicial department among others, which has not materialized till date.

�Stakes are very high in all these crimes and the ramifications widespread. Since we have limited manpower, it would have been better had we been supported by a team of lawyers. These are important cases involving some very influential names and we need to make a watertight case. We are still awaiting the government nod in this regard,� sources in the CID said.

The CID had even suggested names for the panel of lawyers to the government. �Sooner a decision is taken, the better it would be in the interest of the investigation,� sources added.

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