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| A Look through the mist | | Credibility of even CBI is eroding | | By Daya Sagar | 9/26/2009 10:39:13 PM |
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CBI has it’s own history of honours. CBI officers may be still earning honours on independence day or Republic day. But how far they are still earning honours in the hearts of common Indian could be a question.
No doubt still often demands are being made in for handing over investigations into criminal, social and economic offences to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI} . In earlier times also such demands were made . But then it was when ever it was felt that the resources / experience available with a State government police / department were not adequate to meet the complexities or the extent of the crime to be dealt with. Now so often such demands are made when people suspect that the local state police or crime departments may not perform that truly under local influences of men and materials. Simultaneously so often the reports of the agencies like CBI are also accused of being drafted under the undue influence of those in the power seat. Kashmir Shopian case { alleged double rape and murder case } is another trial case in the basket of CBI though it was earlier handled by an IGP rank officer of state police.
It is unfortunate that people at occasion do not take the accusations and investigations as drawn by the government machinery that seriously. A news item reporting economic offences worth hundreds of crores of rupees so easily becomes a dead story in less than a weeks time. The press conferences of the agencies like CBI merely prove to be an effort by government officers for advertisement. Media too rarely carry to the ultimate the crime stories disclosed by government machinery through press briefings. It is only due to this that non performing political leadership as well as the Executive is finding it easy to survive
For instance look at the Bofors gun deal investigations. Bofors Gun Payoff case is with CBI for nearly two decades now. PTI reported on 1st May that CBI sought two months time from a Delhi court to decide the further course of action against the Bofors payoff case accused. Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra submitted before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate that {i} the opinion of Attorney General of India was shared with the Interpol and the Red Corner notice against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi had been revoked on November 25, 2008 ,{ii} CBI was considering various options available to it in consultation with the government. From the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra and CBI counsel Naveen Kumar Matta sought two months time to file a status report. The court had asked that what options were left with the prosecution in the case against Ottavio Quattrocchi . Avoiding answering the quarry of the Court in simple words the Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra instead told the court that {i}out of the eight accused in the case three were already dead{ii} four were acquitted by the Delhi High Court in February 2004,{iii} various attempts to get Quattrocchi extradited to India have failed and {v} the matter was under the active consideration of the CBI and the Central Government.Taking the contention of the CBI into account, the court adjourned the matter for 8 September 09. Seriousness no where reflected so far from the proceedings there after.
Bofors like alleged crimes can not to be shelved in case the accused dies during investigations.. Damage done to the Nation still remains. Alleged illegal benefits / assets earned by accused at the cost of the security / pride/ of India have been used or still remain available for his family/ allies . Such cases are to be dealt in a special manner ( crimes against integrity & security of a Nation) & not like local economic offences.
The explanations have to be very simple and comprehensive as regards any case going unsolved. Loss of a legal battle by CBI, what ever legitimate it be, can not simply clear the doubts in the minds of the common man that would have been agitating for two decades in cases like Bofors. And more regretful has been when even Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh while addressing an election meeting in Punjab nearly said that Ottavio Quattrocchi should not be harassed un necessarily. Surely it was not a wise commentary though it was made during election campaign. The public too did not take it that seriously since common man looks for only personal political motives in all actions of political leaders. And above all in case the allegations turn out to be false, it is not only the Courts that need be convinced, it is also the common man of India who has to be informed that the allegations were false . But this is never done a s a routine.
When CBI gave clean chit to Sh. J. Tytler in 1984 case CBI was accused by some for having done so under the pressures of Congress lead UPA Government .Shri J. Tytler was soon withdrawn from the race to 15th Lok Sabha Election. Signals sent by this action of Congress to a common thinking mind were that (i) either the CBI investigation was faulty or ( ii) CBI gave clean chit to Tytler under Congress pressure. In either case the credibility of CBI is lowered. In case it was under Congress pressure then both Congress & CBI Chief were to be questioned by the Government . Or in case it was the result of wrong investigation by the investigating team then CBI Chief should have been too questioned by the Government.The seriousness of the issue can not be ignored keeping in view the fact that the issue had gone to the extent of arousing the communal emotions to near ultimate, particularly of the victim Sikh community. And to add to this with Lok Sabha Elections in view , opposition parties too joined the protests. And above all the Tytler family too has to face the social stresses. Though Congress high command did not publically make known the reasons for with drawing Jagdish Tytler , still the message that carried was that it was due to protests by Sikhs. The CBI certificate stayed in place but Tytler withdrew.
Similarly the alleged secret SWISS Bank deposits ( as large as nearly INR75 Lac Crore. Mr. Lal Krishan Advani had put the likely figure as INR 15 Lac Crore while addressing a public meeting people on 8 May 09 ) are not to be treated like a case of ordinary corruption .The depositors are not to be allowed to make use of money after paying some cash penalty / fine (as being suggested by some fearing that SWISS Government may yield to India ).
If true, the alleged deposits have been made by selling goodwill and security interests of India and the trust of the common man . Such offenders are to be treated like a criminal / traitor or a Nation & not like a simple economic offender who evade payment of legitimate taxes / duties in part. Instead the Congress leaders started raising question on BJP for having done nothing in this regard during the times of NDA Government. Where as had the Congress lead UPA Government said that it is already in the process of finding ways and means for recovery of Lacs of Crores of INR secret / unfair deposits made by some Indians and their associates in the Swiss Banks , Congress would have earned moral appreciations. Instead Congress entered into a controversy with BJP questioning that why did the NDA not recover this money. Such approach has sent impressions ( may be wrong signals ) that may be more of Congressmen and their associates are holding deposits in the Swiss Banks.
The CBI becoming active on some issues after change in governments at New Delhi and other issues getting pushed under the carpet makes the common man lose faith in the inquiries, inquiry commissions and the investigating agencies. May be it would appear harsh comment to some, but it is a hard reality that credibility of even CBI is eroding . CBI must work hard to recover its lost credibility since if not CBI whom would atall we associate for SWISS BANK deposit investigation Under the circumstances at whom can the Indian Citizen look for a TRUE NEWS is another question ? Hope Man Mohan Singh Jee comes out of the clutches of the political gamesmanship and re holds firmly to the clean image that he has held before taking to active politics.
*( Daya Sagar is social activist and Sr. Columnists on Kashmir affairs [email protected])
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