New Delhi, March 11: The CBI today appeared closer to becoming like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with a House panel suggesting the Indian agency should probe federal crimes.

Federal crimes are those affecting the nation’s security and integrity.

The parliamentary standing committee suggested that instead of creating a new agency, the CBI should be granted autonomy to enable it to investigate such crimes.

The committee, which is looking into matters handled by the personnel, public grievances and law and justice ministries, tabled its report in Parliament today.

“The committee strongly feels that the CBI is the organisation that is well equipped for such operations, investigations and prosecution,” the report said.

Several committees have in the past recommended a single agency to deal with federal crimes like terrorism, drug peddling and human trafficking, and international offences.

But today’s report said more agencies would mean overlapping jurisdiction, conflict of interest, underutilisation of human resources and lack of synergy.

Earlier, committees headed by Soli Sorabjee, Justice V.S. Malimath and Madhava Menon had recommended the need for a federal agency, but states resisted the plan as they feared it would lead to erosion of their authority.

CBI director Vijay Shankar said the agency was already probing what could qualify as federal crimes but required the consent of states under the existing laws.

If Parliament accepts the proposals, the CBI will have a separate intelligence wing. Another suggestion is to split the directorates of prosecution and investigation.

The House panel has suggested a “CBI investigation act”. This, it believes, will avoid “constitutional contradictions” that make states’ consent essential before the central agency launches a probe.

“This is the time to define federal crime. Even the Prime Minister says Parliament is flooded with questions on terrorism,” E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, who heads the panel, said.