Is the central bureau of investigation (CBI) meddling in policymaking areas as it investigates a series of scams that have embarrassed the UPA government? Prime minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P Chidambaram think so, even as its director Ranjit Sinha has stood his ground.

First it was Manmohan Singh who asked the investigative agency on Monday to stay away from area of policymaking. On Tuesday, Chidambaram echoed the same line. On the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the agency in New Delhi, Chidambaram said, “The investigating agency must tread very carefully… must respect the line between policymaking and policing. If there is no violation of a prescribed rule, there is no offence.”

On a more menacing note, he also said, “Functional autonomy does not mean that you (CBI) are free from general rules.”

On the other hand, he also sought to answer allegations of the misuse of the agency. “The CBI isn’t a caged parrot and the C of CBI doesn’t stand for Congress,” he said.

On Monday, the prime minister had said, “Policymaking is a multi-layered process. It is not right for the investigating agency to judge policy without evidence of mala fide. We need more trained minds in the CBI. It must not only strengthen anti-corruption bureaus but also the CID and EOWs.”

He added, “While actions that prima facie show mala fide intent or pecuniary gain should certainly be questioned, pronouncing decisions taken with no ill-intention within the prevailing policy as criminal misconduct would certainly be flawed and excessive.”

Singh’s diatribe came after CBI director Sinha asked policymakers to have zero-tolerance to corruption. “Allocation and acquisition of natural resources is a particular contentious issue in the current Indian and global context. While there is a need for fast economic growth necessitating need for quick decisions…the challenge…is to do in a manner that there is no scope for impropriety,” he said.

The high-decibel criticism of CBI by the government comes as the agency is probing a number of cases related to allocation of national resources like telecom spectrum, coal blocks and natural gas.

The BJP dismissed the PM’s remarks that the CBI enjoys full autonomy in investigation. “We certainly differ on this assessment of the autonomy of the CBI by the PM. Over the years, we have cautioned the government about how the CBI has been used as a tool by the Congress,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman told media in New Delhi on Monday.