CBI – Liberate it.
Your edit ( DNA, 1/5) has misread the observation of the Supreme Court which wants CBI to be independent of the 'political interference' as far as the investigative wing is concerned. The Supreme Court used the word 'liberate'. UPA-2 has totally discredited itself by dictating changes in the investigating report of CBI on coal allotments to be submitted to the Supreme Court. This has blown up the 'independent' nature of CBI investigation even in a case supervised by the Supreme Court.
As you have mentioned it was created to probe corruption cases against the state and central government employees, and over a period of time its role has been expanded. However, it has been misused by the central governments to browbeat political opponents and recalcitrant supporting parties. It is believed that two UP chiefs of political parties were forced to support the government using CBI cases against them. CBI has failed to find the truth behind the crores of rupees heaped on the table of Loka Sabha during the voting of Indo-US Nuclear Agreement. It has also failed to book the culprits in the infamous Bofors Case. It is strongly believed that the top leaders of the ruling party are involved in both the cases.
What the Supreme Court wants and what the people of the country expect is that CBI should be an autonomous body. That is why Anna Hazare wanted it be under the Lokapal. Indian people have to put pressure on politicians to give functional autonomy to CBI and it should work under the Lokpal or it should be supervised by a committee of the parliament or assembly, and be accountable to it. This is the only way to prevent the ruling party from misusing it to protect the corrupt. Or else, there could be a permanent bench of the Supreme court and the High Court to take up the all corruption and misuse of power and CBI to be under it.
Let us all remember that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. As Chanakya said long ago government servants, which includes ministers, are like fish in water, and nobody knows how much water fish drinks. Checks and balances are necessary for good governance.
*********
