What are CBI Sub Inspector (S.I) Powers

Let us understand what a CBI SI can do and can't do. In different words, let us know the advantages and disadvantages of CBI Sub Inspector post.

Before you begin reading this, i would like to emphasize that CBI post is one's true conscience and a job with dignity and pride. I personally feel most other posts are just jobs (may not be all). I don't find any kick in regular desk jobs. Not intended to offend anyone.

What CBI SI can't do:

• CBI can't and won't touch an honest man. All your powers are nothing in front of Honesty and Righteousness.

• He can't independently handle corruption and cyber cases. He can only assist the IO (Investigating Officer) of those cases. This is because it is mentioned in the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act) and Information Technology Act (IT Act). This is actually good as those cases are very complicated and good to have no responsibility of such cases when we join CBI. We work under a senior officer to learn such work and gain knowledge until we get promoted to Inspector. However, there is an exception to this rule. If concerned judge agrees on the recommendation of SP, even SI can investigate a corruption case independently and it indeed happens due to shortage of staff in the organization.

• No officer below the rank of SP can officially inspect the Bank accounts of any person without the SP's approval. This is mentioned in the PC Act.

• No officer below the rank of SP can officially investigate disproportionate assets (illegal assets) case of any public servant without the SP's approval. This is mentioned in the PC Act.

• Can't take leaves without SP's approval. In fact, SP is the boss for any activity. Such hierarchy is common in any department.

• Can't speak to media in any manner at any stage. Only identified very higher officials are allowed to do so. Even SP cadre is not allowed to talk to the media.

• No beacon cars. In fact it is not being used by majority top officials in India from May-2017.

• Many think that CBI people don't have to pay Toll tax at any time. No such rule or law. But when you are on duty you may claim for such exemption as police vehicles are exempted from Toll. Some tollgate men allow and some come to an argument on this point. Also, NHAI is introducing FASTag for all 4-wheelers now on.

• CBI (not just its SI) can't directly interfere into state affairs like police, traffic, revenue, land, irrigation etc unless there is a consent from the concerned State or an order from High Court/Supreme Court on the subject or a specific case. This restriction avoids interference by the center into state's affairs and avoids duplicate work. However, out of respect, state's personnel cooperate. Example: If CBI person observes eve-teasing is happening in a bus stand, he can't directly take action. As per the law, he can only inform this to concerned SHO and only such officer can take action. Remember that CBI was not setup to handle all such petty cases. Hope you got it !! I will give you one more example. Let us suppose a State police SI went to different area for his personal work and a person theft his purse. Can that state police take action directly on the thief after catching him? Answer is NO. Though he is State SI, he has to report the matter to concerned police station and get an FIR registered. This clarifies what exactly jurisdiction means.

• Pls don't think that CBI has all the powers and they can do anything in India. Such thought is immature. In a matured democracy like India's, Power is not centralized at one specific position. So, whatever position or job you do, you would feel that some power/luxury is missing. Ex: Prime Minister can't interfere into state's subjects or court matters. Chief Minister's powers end once he crosses his state border. They both can't influence judiciary. Judge can't himself do investigation and if the investigation is faulty, he is also helpless other than acquitting the culprit for the lack of evidence, though the judge himself knows and feels that the person whom he acquitted is the actual culprit. Judge's hands are also tied by the law and he has to play within the circle drawn by the law. So, realize that even those top positions has some limitations.

• State police do Law&Order Maintenance + Security to VIPs + Investigation + Pairvi Work (= Representing and managing the case in court) of a case. CBI is not working on some rocket science. It is working just on the last two aspects with intense focus, within the standard procedures that have been established. That is all !! So, whatever the laws applicable to state police w.r.t those aspects, are also applicable for CBI. No special laws for CBI alone. For Court, it doesn't matter if a case is investigated by CBI or some other police. Court needs "Evidence" as per Indian Evidence Act.

By now, you would have started thinking that when CBI SI can't do so many, then all other posts would definitely be better. Hold on!! You never read a blog posted by personnel of other departments what they can't actually do. Read further to know why CBI is unarguably considered the most powerful despite all these.

CBI Sub Inspector Responsibilities (Powers) and duties :

Other than the exceptions mentioned above, Knowing the powers of CBI will be same as knowing the powers of Sub Inspector of CBI. This is because the powers of CBI are fully exercised even by the Sub Inspector as executive cadre of any police force starts from SI and there are only 2000 executive staff in CBI. Let us see the advantages of a CBI post and hence what a CBI SI can do. Read further to know the job profile of Sub Inspector in CBI.

• You know how much pain you have undergone while preparing for SSC CGL and perceived irregularities (may or may not) in the exam process. Being in CBI, you get a chance to look into those irregularities. You can become leader of the investigation and do all that you wanted to do when you were an aspirant protesting on the streets. Just imagine questioning the chairman of SSC personally in the opposite chair. You can pave the way for future generations by bringing the bad to the book. By now you should have got an idea that no other CGL job can give you that opportunity. #CBI4SSC #SSC4CBI #SSCExamScam #only_cbi
  

• CBI always face the criticism that it listens to the politicians of ruling party and it can take action only on non-rulers. This is not CBI fault and it is system fault against which the people of this country should raise their voice in democratic way. However, Lokpal Act which was already passed in the parliament has an answer for this. Once Lokpal act is notified, CBI goes under the supervision of Lokpal and CBI becomes the executive body of it. So, political control is completely nullified. As per section 8 of Lokpal Act, Lokpal head is not entitled for any post after his retirement and hence he will be disinterested to do any sort of favour. This way, CBI is going to have more and more professional environment w.r.t the cases it handles. As per section 14  of same act, Lokpal body doesn't spare even the corrupted Prime Minister. This is the very near future of CBI. Just wait and watch !!

• People who work in Central Bank of India say in short that they are working for CBI and they try to enjoy respect from others. They might have experienced the vibrations in the sound of "CBI".

• What if i am insulted by some state officer? What power i have? Read here.

• Full powers on central government employees and institutions w.r.t their corruption and illegal assets. If an IAS/IPS works for central govt who comes on deputation, they are also covered. Who all are covered under this?
• Income Tax
• Indian Railways
• Customs (Excise + Preventive + Examiner)
• Banks including Private Banks (HDFC, ICICI,..).Yes !! Private Banks
• Postal Department
• Petrol Bunks of PSUs like BPCL, HPCL and Gas Agencies.
• RBI, DRDO, NRSA, BHEL, NMDC, RINL, HPCL, SAIL, BSNL
• Manyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy......... more.

• You will be the reason for nightmares of the law breakers. Whether the corrupted gets time to think and spend time with his family or not, he will find time for you.

• Full powers in Union Territories like Delhi (Heart of India), Puducherry etc. Full powers doesn't mean you can behave like a judge in a Court or control Law and Order. Law and order is the headache of local police. Full powers in UTs means that you have no limitation on the department on which you can take action against their illegal acts. In regular states, you can't directly take action on state govt personnel.

• If you are bored of doing one type of activity, you can move to other variety of tasks. This keeps your entire career interesting. Major tasks in CBI are
• Corruption Cases (Traps, Illegal Assets ..)
• Special Crime (Murder, Rape, Kidnap, Trafficking, Drugs ..)
• Economic Fraud Cases (Share market, Corporate Fraud, MLM ..)
• Bank Fraud Cases (Forgery, Fake Documents, Cheating, Conspiracy ..)
• Intelligence Collection through Surveillance
• Interpol

• In Income Tax, all most all of the cases are Civil in nature which means you pay the money (Tax + Penalty) for the wrong doing (Tax evasion) and you are let free. So, the common man's fear is limited as he knows that at max he might need to pay some cash and be free. But in CBI, the cases are criminal in nature which means he would be send behind the bars + Fine. Nothing is Civil in nature in CBI. Hence people's fear is more.

• ED don't have powers to register an FIR themselves as they are not police. ED can investigate a case only after an FIR is registered by some police officer (State police or CBI) and forwarded to them. In CBI, you don't have this problem as CBI itself is a police force.

• Very good network of higher people is built automatically. In fact this is more with media people and we should avoid it. Do you know why? Because they expect a tip of information about raids failing which they loose their race and they generally struggle to cover the news and get relevant formation. Not convinced?? See below.

• CBI SI can independently handle IPC offence cases like Cheating, Forgery, Kidnap, Murder, Rape etc.

• You can proudly use POLICE sticker on your vehicles. No officer of any rank uses CBI sticker as such identity needs not to be disclosed. Why because the accused will come to know that CBI people are around and he will not do the crime for which you want to trap him. Example: In smaller Union Territories (UT), Toll-gate people used to alert all the govt employees as and when they observe any vehicles with CBI sticker enters the UT. So, CBI stopped using those stickers and we should not do so as the basic purpose of CBI is defeated. Also, this sticker becomes a problem for you when you want to go the field for some secret/silent work.

• You can develop source information yourself on commission of any crime and convert that to an FIR with required permissions. No one can ask (including your immediate boss or judge in the court) how you got the information or who gave you such information. In such cases, we mention the complainant name as "Source Information" in FIR. So, when you know that so and so person is doing some illegal act, it is up to you how to convert that information into. Example here.

• SI can arrest the suspected person, irrespective of the person's cadre. If needed, you can get local police or para military security. Ex: As mentioned in 132 (2) of Income Tax Act, Income tax officials also uses the services of those forces whenever they need security when they go for IT raid.

• If SI is posted in Interpol or handles a case which involves international criminals, he gets a chance to visit foreign countries.
  

• If you are handling Human Trafficking cases, you can save the life of innocent children or girls from sexual abuse. This is god-sent angel's work as you are giving them new life and hope to their entire family. Imagine your job satisfaction and pride moment of your parents on such occasion !!

• CBI officers are allowed to carry gun. But practically, even CBI SP/DIG don't carry. It is an unnecessary headache to carry any weapon as he needs to take care of it like his baby. If situation is compelling, you can definitely carry. Practically, other department people (CISF, State police) give us the protection in such cases as CBI people are not habituated to use weapons with the same ease as they can. I hope this answers the long awaited question " Do CBI officers carry guns? "

• If CBI SI handles any state's case (Project scam / Murder / Rape etc i.e. mostly special crime cases), he becomes the leader of the case irrespective of the cadre of the state police supporting you in the case.

• If SI is IO of any case, he/she can even say "No" to the higher official w.r.t the case, if his remarks has a color of malafide intention. It is up to the person about the way he wants to handle the situation. No interference from any other person in any case. Everything is on the paper why yes or no. No kneeling down. Remember that we are working for the country but not for the boss. This process is the one what made CBI unique. This is not even imaginable in State police or other departments. Remember that even ex CBI directors are not spared when there were some signs of guilty.

• Power 1 ; Power 2; Power 3; Power 4; Power 5; Power 6; Power 7; Power 8 etc etc etc.. They are only sample links. After reading all those links, i decided not to chose any other job in CGL. Even i googled to know if some other department raided on CBI and there were no such news. I am not trying to influence anyone's thoughts here. It is aspirants decision to chose what job he wants. Even as SI, you are part of those teams. From these links it is very clear that CBI is like a fired bullet. It doesn't care who the other person is. It does its job ruthlessly. Immense job satisfaction with every new case. Every CGL posts describing website talks about UT income in other jobs and they don't tell how riskier such activity is and what is the stigma such caught person faces. Remember, even for examples purpose in CBI indoor classes, those departments are referred and imagine how much background focus is kept on those people. Corrupt take a chance until they meet CBI and once CBI greet them while taking bribe, CBI doesn't give them a chance to take another chance, unless the bribe taker is super lucky. CBI changes their fate. It is like meeting the death. All looks tumbled in life for the accused and he learns a lesson for the first time in life that Money can't buy everything. I know you will be more convinced if i can share this example.

• Many think that unless an officer is greedy on bribe demand, he is not caught by CBI. This is untrue. Note that taking bribe is like consuming alcohol. At later stages, only more dosage can give the much needed kick that he is expecting. This is why you observe that top ladder always deals in lakhs - crores. I shall share a real example here. A tax payer was to pay a tax of 80L to the government and an officer made a deal with the tax payer to pay him 10% of the amount i.e. 8L and he will give him the tax advantage. Ideally, as you also think, any business person strikes the deal. Doesn't he? Imagine that you are in the position of assessing officer and he think it is a win-win scenario and there shouldn't be any problem with the tax payer as well. To officer's destiny, he happens to be a value based businessman and he accepted his deal. Subsequently, he gave complaint to CBI and got him trapped the very next day. Till today, the officer is still in confusion why did he give complaint to CBI when both were getting benefited. Out of curiosity, when i personally asked the tax payer what made him to give complaint, he said that he was ready to pay how much ever tax to the govt, but not a single rupee to any officer. Even when the documents are verified, so is the fact. In short, it is sufficient to meet just one such person in your entire career to go to jail and face the worst in one's life. But the thing is you never know who it is. So, don't generalize the society, behavior of the people and make theories on bribe and psychology of a bribe giver. I know some can't understand/accept this right away.

• Even if such corrupted person is not caught for every bribe transaction, he is caught eventually after he amasses properties on his/other's name. Apart from intelligence reports (nothing to do with IB here), CBI raid plays a crucial role in collecting evidences on all Income/Properties/Expenditure. Even S.I works on this equation of calculation.

• The real CBI power is felt when you go for raid/searches. Who may ever he/she is, whether he is minister or big business man, it doesn't matter. They are at your beck and call. They don't hesitate to do ANYTHING that pleases you. Yes...You read it right. This happens because their entire political/job career, personal/family life, reputation, properties and all other are at stake. You are expected to do your regular duty as required. Sometimes you may have to raid even a poor man as criminality is nothing to do with one's financial background. One can be a criminal even if he is poor. It is also possible that he is just giving the color of being poor. So, don't expect every raid will be same as shown in the image above.

• CBI card is a universal access card to meet any government official irrespective of his cadre/position. You are Baahubali with your ID Card. Nothing stops you. For what others generally say 'No', this card makes them to say 'Yes'. In other words, CBI trainee's life is like a caterpillar. They face all the difficulties at the initial stages of training and thereafter they are beautiful butterflies.

• You might have already known that if any case is sensational in India, that would generally be a case handled by CBI. You can proudly say that you are the IO (Investigating Officer) of that case. Ex: "Dera Baaba" Raam Rahim case. This is only an example out of so many examples in the country. You give actual hope to many of the Indians by working efficiently in exposing the true colors of disguised criminals.

• When CBI can arrest even corrupt army personnel, who are the politicians and officers of doubtful integrity holding various ranks and posts. Army is the true security of the nation and even they are not spared.

• CBI is the platform to meet best personalities of any given field. Final place for all your doubts. You will observe a new dimension in every person you meet in CBI office and learn something new, be it an officer or a criminal. You already know that even criminals are very very smart, especially of CBI cases. Criminals might be smarter but Investigators are ultimate.

• State SI is powerful only in his jurisdiction and they are normal person when they move out of their place. But, CBI personnel gets attention, respect and consideration across India. Read the comparison of both police forces here

• After you join the service, if you are made in-charge of the residential quarters, you can take initiative and revamp the entire quarters environment with the support of CPWD and local municipal bodies and by adding your personal liking and experience. The department gives special attention if you are an initiator of any activity. It helps you in gaining experience in those matters and one can even carry this experience in building his personal house in the future as you would understand every practical problems at very minute level. If you expect something in return and take any initiative, you may get disappointed. You need thinking brain, feeling heart, helping hand and expect nothing. I will give an example of such work done by Shri Nagavalli Siva, an official who did such work while he was only a Sub-Inspector of Police and without disturbing any other CBI official. You can build the environment of your thoughts and let others understand and enjoy the beauty in your thoughts.

         Before:

          After:

• Despite having those powers, some people leave this job!! Do you know why? The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Read more here. My attempt through this entire blog is neither to encourage nor discourage anyone to choose this job. I am presenting the facts so that they can decide their career that best suits to their character, inner conscience and priorities.

-----------------------
-----------------------

Before you ask relevant questions in the comments section, i request you to go through all other posts of this blog here or use the search feature available at top of this blog with your keyword which will give you all the relevant articles with those key words. Open each article one-by-one and try searching again with your keyword with "Ctrl+F" if you are using desktop or "Find in Page" feature if you are using mobile to land at exact spot in that article. I am sure those posts would cover all your other doubts. I am also waiting for a useful and unanswered question.

If you have gone through majority of the blog articles, you can share your emotion/feedback here which will be considered as per relevancy. Only one feedback by a blog reader. You can give feedback only if you are a signed in google user. This is made to avoid junk/spam feedback. However, nothing stops you in asking a question in comments section of each article.

If you find articles in this blog answered most of your doubts and worth sharing with your friends and co-aspirants who are also looking for precise information like what i have presented here, You may do so. The blog is for the benefit of every passionate aspirant.