SC says 'no' to tinkering with intelligence wings

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to tinker with the functioning of intelligence agencies like RAW and Intelligence Bureau (IB), saying any such move would impinge on the security of the state.

Non-government organization Centre for Public Interest Litigation had sought the court’s intervention to make these agencies accountable.

Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan argued that these agencies have a budget of Rs 60,000 crore, all of which is taxpayers' money. But a bench comprising Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Shivakirti Singh refused to entertain the plea. "These are matters involving the security of state. Interfering with them would threaten our very own existence," Justice Misra said.

The Modi government, through Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, had urged the top court to desist from interfering in such matters. Justice Misra said, "Water, for example, is purely an executive issue. Why should the courts get into it?"