The Madras High Court has raised serious concerns about the declining public trust in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), criticizing its investigative practices and issuing directives to restore its credibility. In a landmark ruling on April 28, 2025, Justice K.K. Ramakrishnan of the Madurai Bench highlighted the agency’s “lopsided” investigations and called for a comprehensive revamp.
“CBI officers think they have sky-high powers and no one can question them… The working culture of the CBI has reduced to the level of being criticized by everyone,”
the Court observed.
Directives to Reform CBI
The Court issued a series of actionable suggestions to the CBI Director to address systemic issues and rebuild public confidence. These include:
- Enhanced Supervision:The CBI Director must closely monitor the inclusion of accused individuals in FIRs and final reports to ensure fairness.
- Investigation Oversight:Continuous supervision of investigation progress, focusing on the collection and omission of evidence.
- Legal Team Appointment:Establish a dedicated legal team to guide investigating officers on legal principles and assess the necessity of case registrations to avoid frivolous cases.
- Technological Upgradation:Equip officers with modern scientific tools and techniques to improve investigation quality.
Case That Sparked the Ruling
The Court’s observations came while acquitting eight individuals, including a former Chief Manager of a Tirunelveli bank, who were convicted in 2019 for allegedly defrauding the bank of ₹2 crore through improper loan sanctions. The High Court found the CBI’s investigation lacking, noting insufficient evidence against all accused.
“This is a classical case to show the CBI conducted a shoddy investigation,”
Justice Ramakrishnan remarked, pointing to lapses at every stage of the probe.
The Court also criticized the trial court for inconsistently acquitting some accused while convicting others based on similar evidence, labeling it a “miscarriage of justice.”
Broader Concerns About CBI’s Practices
Justice Ramakrishnan noted a pattern of deficiencies in CBI investigations, including selective targeting of lower-grade officers while sparing higher-ups, failure to utilize handwriting or scientific experts, and allegations of corruption within the agency. In one instance, electronic evidence was presented to the Court, allegedly showing a CBI officer demanding a bribe.
“In most cases, even though strong materials were found, the CBI deleted high-level officers and arrayed only low-grade officers,” the judge stated.
The Court also highlighted the CBI’s reluctance to adopt modern technology, which has compromised the fairness and efficiency of its investigations. This has led to a significant erosion of public faith, with many preferring other investigative bodies over the CBI.
Call to Action
The Madras High Court emphasized that the CBI must regain its reputation as an impartial and upright agency. “People have more faith in special investigation departments than in the courts… The CBI should regain that faith so it does not cause harm to the reputation attached to them,” Justice Ramakrishnan urged.
