How to File RTI with CBI — Complaint Status, Case Registration and Investigation Proceedings

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is India's premier central investigating agency, established under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (DSPE Act). It investigates corruption by Central Government employees, major financial frauds, economic offences, and other sensitive cases referred to it by courts, the Central Government, or the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). CBI functions under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

RTI to CBI is among the more restricted of all Central Government RTI routes, because investigative work is specifically shielded by statute. This guide explains honestly what is realistically obtainable — and what is not — so you can draft an RTI that is likely to receive a substantive response rather than a blanket exemption.

What CBI Can and Cannot Disclose Through RTI

CBI CAN provide through RTI:

CBI ALMOST ALWAYS WITHHOLDS:

Be realistic: RTI is productive for CBI when focused on complaint acknowledgement, case registration confirmation, concluded-matter outcomes, and policy/statistics. Requests for investigation details in ongoing cases will almost always be declined, and the CIC has consistently upheld such refusals.

CBI vs. State Police vs. Anti-Corruption Bureau

Before filing an RTI, confirm that CBI — not a state agency — is the right public authority for your matter. Filing RTI with the wrong authority wastes time.

Key rule: CBI does NOT investigate state government employee corruption unless the concerned state government gives its consent under Section 6 of the DSPE Act, or a High Court or the Supreme Court specifically directs CBI to investigate. For state government matters without a court direction, approach the State Vigilance Commission, State ACB, or State Lokayukta.

Where to File

CBI files on rtionline.gov.in:

1. Go to rtionline.gov.in and click Submit Request
2. In the public authority list, select Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions → Central Bureau of Investigation
3. Draft your application — state your complaint reference number (if available), the date you filed the complaint, and the nature of the matter. Ask only for registration confirmation and any concluded-matter outcomes; do not ask for investigation details
4. Pay ₹10 online via net banking, debit/credit card, or UPI. BPL cardholders are exempt — select the BPL option and attach a self-attested copy of your BPL ration card
5. Submit and note your registration number for tracking

Tip: If your complaint reached CBI through a referral — from a court, from CVC, or from a state government — mention the referral source and the originating reference number in your RTI. CBI locates records by its own PE/RC number system; providing the chain of correspondence helps identify the relevant file.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For

Carefully scoped RTI questions that are likely to receive a response, rather than a blanket Section 8(1)(h) refusal:

1. Complaint receipt and registration

Confirm whether your complaint (by date and reference number, if available) was received by CBI and assigned a complaint or acknowledgement number — a basic administrative fact that does not touch on investigation.

2. PE/RC registration status

Ask whether a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) or Regular Case (RC) was registered on the basis of your complaint — and if so, the PE/RC registration number and the date of registration. Explicitly state you are not seeking investigation details; you seek only confirmation of registration.

3. Concluded case outcome

For a case that has been fully concluded — chargesheet filed before a court, or a Final Report submitted — ask whether a chargesheet was filed or a Final Report was submitted, and the broad nature of the Final Report (e.g., true case / false case / mistake of fact / case not traceable). Do not ask for chargesheet contents or court proceedings while trial is pending.

4. Annual statistics and conviction rates

Ask for CBI's Annual Report data for the most recent available year: cases registered by category (corruption, economic offences, special crimes), cases disposed of by chargesheet, and the conviction rate in cases where trial was concluded — sourced from CBI's own Annual Report or published statistics.

5. DSPE Act provisions and jurisdictional basis

Ask for a copy of, or a reference to, the relevant provisions of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, specifying the categories of cases in which CBI exercises jurisdiction — and any CBI circular or notification on the matter. This is a governance document and should be provided without difficulty.

6. Court-ordered investigation compliance

If a court has directed CBI to investigate and you are a complainant, ask whether an RC has been registered pursuant to the court's order of date and case number, and whether CBI has filed a status report before the court. Do not ask for the contents of the status report or investigation details.

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If CBI does not respond within 30 days, or the response is incomplete or unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at CBI within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. Address the First Appeal to the First Appellate Authority, CBI, Block No. 3, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003 (or through the rtionline.gov.in portal using your original registration number).

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days. CBI is a Central Government body under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions — second appeals always go to the CIC, not any State Information Commission.

Practical note on Section 8(1)(h) refusals: The CIC has in many cases upheld CBI's refusals under Section 8(1)(h) where an investigation was genuinely ongoing. However, CIC has also intervened where:

• CBI refused to even acknowledge receipt of a complaint — plain receipt acknowledgement is not shielded by any exemption
• CBI claimed an ongoing-investigation exemption for a case that had already been chargesheeted or closed — the exemption lapses when investigation concludes
• The information sought (e.g., annual statistics, DSPE Act provisions) had no connection to any specific investigation

If you receive a Section 8(1)(h) refusal, examine whether it specifically identifies which investigation would be impeded and how. A blanket, unspecified invocation of the exemption — without identifying the harm — is a weaker refusal and can be challenged effectively in a First Appeal or CIC Second Appeal.