Deactivating investigations

A few states, like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, have indicated that they will not provide security or investigation support to central agencies like the Income Tax Department and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to pursue searches, seizures, and arrests. The fear is that the central civil services investigative set-ups are being used to pursue political ends. The decisions of chief ministers Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerji will undoubtedly affect the operations of the central agencies, and is a huge blow to smooth functioning between the Centre and states in a federal governance structure. At the central level, the respective investigating agencies have their own problems to tackle. Even if Alok Verma (IPS), Director, CBI, who was asked to proceed on leave because of a few controversial actions he allegedly took, is reinstated by the Supreme Court, his term ends in January 2019. The same is true for the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), whose head Anil Dhasmana will leave in February 2019. The Centre has given little indications of how it wishes to move forward. One has to, however, admit that the real rot in the CBI was effected by former Director Ranjit Sinha. Despite Sinha’s involvement in seemingly-murky issues, the government has taken little action against him. Has this something to do with the former CBI Director’s Gujarat links?