Some of the investigating officers (IOs) exceed their brief from time to time. Recently, a case to this effect surfaced. An IO issued a questionnaire to a senior IAS officer, currently Secretary to the government of India, on a certain issue during his tenure as additional secretary in some different department. The IAS officer, known for his integrity, asked the IO, an IRS officers, whether he had been permitted by the government to issue the questionnaire to him. Apparently, the IO had not done that. So he tried his best to wriggle out of the situation on the ground that the questionnaire was a simple affair and that the IAS officer shouldn't take umbrage at that. But the latter was in no forgiving mood and scolded the IO thoroughly for doing things without authorization. Finally, the IO chickened out.