Withdrawal of general consent does not make CBI powerless. It only restricts registration of fresh cases within Punjab without approval. Central Bureau of Investigation, in a late-night raid at the Punjab Vigilance Bureau headquarters in Mohali, arrested two middlemen and another person in a Rs 13-lakh bribery case allegedly involving senior officers of the department. The CBI took the action after registering an FIR on a complaint of a Punjab State Tax Officer. The action comes more than five years the Punjab government withdrew general consent accorded to the CBI to probe cases in the state. The Indian Express explains the nuances What is general consent and why was it withdrawn? Under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, the CBI requires a State government’s consent to exercise its powers and jurisdiction in that State for investigating offenses.…