Supreme Court Reiterates 'Uncaged Parrot' Perception for CBI

The Supreme Court has revived its 2013 criticism of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as a 'caged parrot' influenced by its masters. On Friday, the court stressed the importance of the CBI being perceived as an 'uncaged parrot' and granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case.

The Supreme Court has revisited its 2013 criticism of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which it had described as a 'caged parrot' speaking in its master's voice.

On Friday, a bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized that the CBI must create a perception of being an 'uncaged parrot' for the sake of justice and public interest. The court made these remarks while granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case tied to the excise policy 'scam'.

Justice Bhuyan highlighted that in a democracy, an investigative agency must be above suspicion and conducted fairly. He reiterated that fair investigation is a fundamental right under Articles 20 and 21 of India's Constitution, and urged the CBI to eliminate any perception of bias or high-handedness in its operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)