Must a direction for CBI investigation be issued as a matter of routine or merely on a party's allegations?

Paragraph 23Fourthly, a Constitution Bench of this Court in State of West Bengal & Ors. v. Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights, West Bengal & Ors.[^5] held that despite wide powers conferred by Articles 32 and 226 of the Constitution, the Court must bear in mind the self-imposed limitations on exercise of such constitutional powers. It was held that direction to CBI to conduct investigation is not to be issued as matter of routine or merely because a party has levelled some allegations on local police. Similar view has been taken by a two-Judge bench of this Court in Himanshu Kumar and Ors. v. State of Chhattisgarh and Ors[^6]. Another two-Judge Bench of this Court in Legislative Council U.P. Lucknow and Ors. v. Sushil Kumar and Ors.[^7] held that while issuing directions to CBI, to hold an investigation, pleadings and material sufficient for CBI inquiry are required to be looked into. In the instant case, the petitioners have neither lodged a first information report nor had made any allegations against the local police. No averments have been made in the writ petition disclosing the basis for direction for an enquiry by CBI. Therefore, we are not inclined to accede to the said prayer made by the petitioners.