THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cannot resort to the last step to save the government's face similar to what Mamata Banerjee did to avert a CBI probe in Saradha scam. Inorder to avert the probe, Mamata Banerjee alleged the CBI probe into Sarada scam as part of a bigger plot to BJP to sabotage her government in West Bengal. But in life’s mission Kerala government cannot prevent CBI probe, because section 42 of FCRA act has designated CBI as the only agency which can probe cases in which foreign contributions worth more than Rs 1 crore is involved.

Therefore, Pinarayi Vijayan cannot avert CBI probe into life mission as attempted by Mamata Banerjee to prevent CBI probe in Saradha and Rose valley chit fund scams. The Central government has issued a special notification on the cases which can be charged and probed under the FCRA act. Special permission needs to be sought only when a chargesheet is filed against important officials. As the law is passed by the parliament, the state government cannot override it through their usual, ‘ordinance route.’

In normal course, CBI which was established under Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, requires the state government’s nod to function in the state.

The state government has transferred the case of an NGO based in Kottayam seeking financial assistance from the Netherlands to CBI, one year ago, as per FCRA provisions.

In West Bengal, when CBI officials went to grill the police commissioner in connection with the Saradha scam, state police arrested them. The move of state police to arrest the eastern sector chief of CBI, has also created a controversy. Central government has resisted this move of the state government by providing security of CRPF personnels to CBI offices in West Bengal.

State government creates trouble for CBI

-UDF government has issued an order in 2014 August allowing CBI officials to camp and stay in government guest houses; this order was cancelled by the present LDF government.

-Vigilance has filed an FIR in Muvattupuzha court against CBI SP for not paying the dues of rent for staying at Ernakulam guest house.

-PWD minister has also directed officials at Thalassery, Vadakara and Kollam rest houses to collect the dues worth Rs 9.49 lakhs to be received from CBI officials as room rent. When it became a controversy the Chief Minister issued an order which said that CBI officials could stay in government facilities for free.