Consensus on CBI powers in Lokpal after `hard bargaining`: Min

New Delhi: A "consensus" regarding powers of CBI in the Lokpal Bill has been reached through "hard bargain" with parliamentarians and civil society members, Union minister V Narayanasamy on Friday said.

Speaking at the valedictory session of second Interpol global programme on anti-corruption and asset recovery at CBI headquarters here, he said main provisions which have been added in the Lokpal bill are to strengthen the CBI and the Central Vigilance Commission. "The kind of dilution that was going to take place, I have to give credit to your director and officers who took keen interest in seeing that the powers vested with them, the duties vested, the investigative powers vested with them should not be diluted and they should remain with them. They should report to the court only," he said. The minister of state for personnel said as far as Lokpal is concerned, its role should be of superintendence and direction only and "not control". "This is a major area of consensus we have achieved in Lokpal Bill by a hard bargaining with the parliamentarians and also with the so-called civil society and NGOs who do not understand what is investigation process..." he said. He also expressed concerns that global financial market in modern times allows money to travel further and faster than ever before. "In cases in which that money is the illicit proceeds of crime particularly in the cases of organised crime, the tracing, freezing and recovery of assets become very difficult and complex and, therefore, call upon all of us to update our knowledge and skills to keep pace with it," he said. PTI