NEW DELHI: The Centre is considering creating a new post of Chief Investigation Officer of India (CIO) on the lines of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the National Security Advisor (NSA).
As per discussions at the highest level, the chiefs of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will report to the CIO, just like the three services report to the CDS and the two intelligence agencies to the NSA.
Sources said the government feels that there is a lot of overlap in the areas of investigation of the ED and the CBI.
The ED focuses mainly on financial frauds, including cases related to money laundering and FEMA violations, but the CBI also looks into cases of corruption and other economic offences.
A CIO heading the two agencies would bring better synergy between them, sources said.
According to sources, the new post will be in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. They said the outgoing ED chief, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, could be appointed as the first CIO.
Mishra was recently allowed by the Supreme Court to continue as ED chief till September 15. The SC had termed as illegal the two extensions of one year each given to him by the Union government after his retirement.
It, however, allowed him to continue till September 15 in “larger public and national interest” as the central government requested his continuance due to the ongoing review of the Financial Action Task Force in which some neighbouring countries wanted India to be put in the “grey list”.
The apex court gave its ruling while hearing a petition against the Centre’s move to give a third one-year extension to the ED chief.
Sources said the post of CIO may be created before Mishra demits office on September 15. They said that the ED will continue to function under the Department of Revenue of the Union Ministry of Finance and the CBI under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The operational supervision of the two agencies would, however, be transferred to the CIO, who, in turn, is likely to report to the Prime Minister’s Office.