Patna: The Bihar government has updated the legal framework governing the jurisdiction and investigative powers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the state, replacing references to earlier criminal laws with provisions corresponding to the laws currently in force.
The Home Department issued the notification, Memorandum No. 10770, on September 3, 2026, under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
The notification provides consent for CBI members to exercise the powers and jurisdiction specified under Section 3 of the Act in relation to offences covered by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023; Information Technology Act, 2000 provisions relating to cybercrimes; and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended.
Framework dates back to 1996
The government said the previous final notification concerning the arrangement had been issued in 1996. The scope of CBI jurisdiction and its investigative powers in Bihar have subsequently been regulated through notifications issued from time to time.
The latest notification also provides for the extension of CBI powers and jurisdiction in specified cases involving alleged offences by employees of the Central government, central government public sector undertakings and private individuals.
Prior consent remains necessary in Bihar government-related cases
The notification makes clear that the existing requirement for prior consent from the Bihar government remains applicable when a case concerns the conduct of Bihar government public servants or individuals employed by corporations, companies, banks and institutions owned or controlled by the state government, or institutions receiving or having previously received financial assistance from the Bihar government.
Such cases require prior consent from the Bihar government before being investigated by the CBI.
Government says no change in existing arrangement
The Bihar government said the notification does not alter the existing legal arrangement. Its stated purpose is to update and align the framework with the criminal laws currently in force following the enactment of the three new criminal codes in 2023.
The government further said the notification is intended to keep the existing statutory arrangement updated and effective in accordance with current legal provisions. It described contrary information being circulated about a change in the arrangement as misleading and factually incorrect.
The notification comes as Bihar continues to operate under the criminal-law framework introduced through the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam in place of the earlier penal, criminal procedure and evidence laws.
