New Delhi:
There was an announcement of independence but no celebrations at the CBI office in the Capital as the Centre told the Supreme Court today that the agency would finally have full financial autonomy. Investigators, always a cynical lot, were waiting to go through the fine print.
The top court was told that the Centre had finally accepted the CBI's demand to give its director the rank of Secretary.
So what does this means for the agency described as a "caged parrot" by the top court last year? It will finally have the power to buy smartphones without running to the government.
The CBI director will now be empowered to approve all financial plans of the agency up to at least Rs 15 cr. He can hire consultants for up to Rs 10 lakh instead of just two lakhs, and hire people on contract.
Crime fighting may have become high-tech with many new gadgets and gizmos, but the government has only just agreed to allow the CBI to buy their own laptops and mobiles. The budget is still modest by any standards - up to 6000 rupees for a cellphone.
The movies may have had you imagine that crime fighters were running after criminals in fancy cars but the CBI director couldn't even discard old used cars. He now has that authority, along with powers to outsource photocopying jobs.
What may come as a big relief for CBI officers is that foreign trips will become far easier, now that their own boss can assign them travel allowance without asking the government.
The CBI can also hold conferences and seminars without seeking permission for its expenses.
Will this change the way the agency works? Officials say the New Year certainly holds promise, but they will wait for the final clearance to come through before they start celebrating.