Reversing the decision of Uddhav Thackeray's Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government has restored the general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in Maharashtra.
Chief Minister Shinde cleared the proposal by Deputy CM Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.
"With the reversal of this decision, the CBI will no longer require permission of the state government to step in and investigate cases,” officials said.
On October 21, 2020, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government had withdrawn the general consent to the agency contending that the Centre was misusing central probe agencies to settle political scores. The erstwhile MVA government had issued the order under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, withdrawing the general consent given to the CBI since February 1989.
The previous government took this decision when several of its senior leaders and ministers were under the CBI lens.