Sinha, step down
21 Nov 2014 9:33 PM GMT
With the Supreme Court finally asking CBI director Ranjit Sinha to recuse himself from the 2G telecom scam investigation, anti-corruption crusaders like advocate and Aam Aadmi Party member Prashant Bhushan can breathe a sigh of relief. Allegations against Sinha include holding conversations across various platforms with tainted meat-seller and hawala accused Moin Qureshi, with the latter accused of facilitating a number of illicit money transfers in and out of the country.
That CBI became the object of national derision under the questionable stewardship of Sinha is beyond a straw of doubt, but what is even more problematic is the manner in which appointment to the highest post in the topmost probing body of the country was done to put a man of decidedly unscrupulous past in the high chair. Not only Sinha, even A P Singh, former director of CBI, has been found to have involvements with Qureshi, clearly pointing towards a huge network of senior bureaucrats and government officers in liaison with international fraudsters of Indian origin.
Bhushan’s tireless campaign to bring the skeletons in Sinha’s closet out in the open must be commended. But more importantly, that Supreme Court has maintained impartiality and unbiased nature of law is refreshing. It must be remembered that the top court had last year branded the CBI as a ‘caged parrot’ tied to the apron strings of ‘political masters’ and private businessmen with illegal operations within and outside the national borders.
Given that Sinha’s tenure is set to end in December this year, it is unfortunate that a man, whose alleged complicity in one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of India, has been allowed to remain in his post. Even now, SC has only directed Sinha to recuse himself from 2G investigations, recalling its earlier stand on the whistleblower to reveal his identity.
However, with the slew of indirect charges becoming heavier by the day, Sinha cannot be allowed to stay on in the post any longer. If the CBI director who has the maximum disservice to the integrity of the institution is allowed to complete his tenure, it will be a big stab at the heart of this premier probing body.Â
That CBI became the object of national derision under the questionable stewardship of Sinha is beyond a straw of doubt, but what is even more problematic is the manner in which appointment to the highest post in the topmost probing body of the country was done to put a man of decidedly unscrupulous past in the high chair. Not only Sinha, even A P Singh, former director of CBI, has been found to have involvements with Qureshi, clearly pointing towards a huge network of senior bureaucrats and government officers in liaison with international fraudsters of Indian origin.
Bhushan’s tireless campaign to bring the skeletons in Sinha’s closet out in the open must be commended. But more importantly, that Supreme Court has maintained impartiality and unbiased nature of law is refreshing. It must be remembered that the top court had last year branded the CBI as a ‘caged parrot’ tied to the apron strings of ‘political masters’ and private businessmen with illegal operations within and outside the national borders.
Given that Sinha’s tenure is set to end in December this year, it is unfortunate that a man, whose alleged complicity in one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of India, has been allowed to remain in his post. Even now, SC has only directed Sinha to recuse himself from 2G investigations, recalling its earlier stand on the whistleblower to reveal his identity.
However, with the slew of indirect charges becoming heavier by the day, Sinha cannot be allowed to stay on in the post any longer. If the CBI director who has the maximum disservice to the integrity of the institution is allowed to complete his tenure, it will be a big stab at the heart of this premier probing body.Â
Next Story
