By D N Singh
Where the CBI has gone? Once a dreaded probing agency looked at with awe now seem being pushed to the backyards with the emergence of the Enforcement Directorate(ED).
Not only the ED has become a household name but sometimes it is being viewed as, allegedly, the most used weapon by the Centre against political rivals.
One of the most glaring disrepute that has come the CBI way, was in the case of the raids conducted on the Delhi Deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia’s case.
Starting from most publicized raid in 21 locations linked to Sisodia to his personal bank locker where CBI’s intelligence suffered a nosedive and found only Rs.70,000 rupees worth of ornaments.
Is CBI playing second fiddle to ED?
Going by the findings of Central Vigilance Commission and other central agencies, CBI has been found mostly nailing small fishes and the country’s premier investigating agency appear relegating itself to become a poor cousin of the ED.
Is it poor quality of investigation that makes it weaker as the agency usually fails to add up its probes before the higher courts.
So, as found by the CVC, CBI’s conviction rate has shown decline compared to past years.
Be it Arushi Talwar case when the agency failed badly to satisfy the court against the two accused despite the killing of Arushi and Hemraj, the domestic help.
Or, let’s take the case of the 2G Spectrum case where also the CBI failed to prove the allegations.
The high profile case of Sushant Singh Rajput was a fiasco for the CBI and the investigations headed nowhere despite ample of circumstantial evidences and the recreation of the crime.
Senior advocate Geetha Luthra was quoted as holding the view that, when there are cases of political nature, CBI has cut a sorry figure.
Or sometimes, the agency is forced to act upon cases which are mainly politically intended to score some brownie points and create an atmosphere of fear for the rivals
