Talking Point: Interpol chief Ronald K Noble praises CBI, calls it impartial

Interpol chief Noble (right) with CBI director AP Singh

INDIA'S investigating agency CBI may get the flak from various quarters for allegedly being partial and too close to the ruling establishment, but director AP Singh and his team have managed the backing of Interpol chief Ronald K Noble in their claim of impartiality. Noble who visited New Delhi only a few days ago praised CBI for its “integrity, independence and impartiality”. The Interpol chief who also visited the CBI academy at Ghaziabad said that India should count on CBI’s ability to handle corruption cases.

The question over the agency’s inclusion into Lokpal has turned out to be a contentious issue as political consensus is still missing. The principal opposition party BJP often accuses the CBI as partial and ridicules it as Congress Bureau of Investigation. And Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal only recently criticized the entire selection process of its director saying the CBI director is selected in such a way that “he can only be used to save the coalition government”.

IPS probationers at CBI office

Though the draft Lokpal Bill says that the CBI director should be selected by Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India, Team Anna often says only the Lokpal members should select him. Also, all political parties are not yet ready to make CBI accountable totally to the Lokpal with the fear that Lokpal itself would then be a monster posing threats to democratic checks and balances. Indian Parliamentarians are likely debate on the issue over the extended period of the winter session till December 29, 2011.

The CBI registered 1832 cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 between 2007 and 2011 (up to November 30).

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