Seeking information regarding visits of the Director, CBI to the PMO under RTI
2 Oct, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He referred to a news item published in the India today and sought the details about the reported visit of the Director, CBI to the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and other details about his meetings with various people there. The Public Information Officer (PIO) informed the appellant that he could not give any information or comment, based on media reports. He also pointed out that the CBI was now included in the Second Schedule of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and thus the provisions of the Act would not apply to the CBI.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) observed that the information sought could not be provided because it was hypothetical and based on a news report. The Commission rejected the appeal stating that the PIO cannot confirm and elucidate on a visit of the Director CBI to the PMO unless the details of the visit are recorded in any minutes maintained in the CBI. The CIC further noted that neither the news report quoted by the appellant in his RTI application nor the application itself states any particular date of the reported visit. In the absence of any specific date, the PIO could not surmise or speculate on any possible visit of the Director CBI to the PMO.
Citation: Mr. S K Gandhi v. Central Bureau of Investigation in File No. CIC/SM/A/2011/002360
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/693
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission