Those who have followed the manner in which the Central Bureau of Investigation has conducted its probe in the 2G scam are likely to find the book under review highly absorbing and valuable. The premier agency’s former Director Joginder Singh has analyzed herein reports of Justice Shivraj Patil, the Telephone Regulatory of India and the Comptroller and Auditor General and the exchange of correspondence between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his then Communication and Information Technology Minister in order to determine the authenticity of the CBI charge-sheet in the case . The former top investigator laments that our law is not strong against corruption and as such, like a former state Chief Minister charged in the infamous ‘Fodder Scam’ case, those involved in the 2G scam, too, might go scot-free. He says that the little that has happened so far against corruption has happened only because of our largely free media and judiciary. The government believes in going soft on corruption. It provides “an overabundant layers of appeal after appeal and escape routes” (p113). Credit goes to the media for highlighting corruption in high places and the constitutional courts giving such cases to the CBI. Singh has made valuable suggestion in the book to root out corruption. He observes that justice in corruption cases has to be fast and for this we must have an adequate number of judges. Our investigative agencies have to be given constitutional status, adequate manpower and equipment. Besides, “we need to have laws which are based in ground realities and not drafted by the Law Commission whose members have never visited any trial court to see the conditions of the judges and witnesses there.” ( p 115). He says that our witnesses are not taken care of by our system and as such they often turn hostile or lose interest in siding with justice and the investigative agency. This has to be taken care of. Also, Singh says, in theUnited Statesthe Congress has been prohibited under the Constitution not to make any laws abridging the freedom of the press. Indiacould do the same to make the freedom of press more real. It could extend to its media special rights against defamation and also legalize the sting operation. One hopes Singh’s prescriptions would appeal to all those elements in our polity who want to seeIndiafree of corruption and, the latter, in turn, would prevail over our decision-makers to adopt appropriate measures against the evil. Also, one hopes the publisher of the book would do justice to this valuable enterprise. In its current edition there are innumerable grammatical errors to put its readers off. This has to be taken care of. Substance matters more in its proper form.
Combating Corruption
Jagdish N Singh
Har-Anand,New Delhi, 2012,
Pp. 136,
` 395
Former CBI boss Joginder Singh
CBI AND 2G
Joginder Singh
The author says that in theUnited Statesthe Congress has been prohibitedunder the Constitution not to make any laws abridging the freedom of the Press.Indiacould do the same to make the freedom of press more real. It could extend to its media special rights against defamation and also legalise the sting
operation.
June 2012
Power Politics BOOK BAZAAR
PAGE-17
The former top investigator observes that the little that has happened so faragainst corruption is only because of our largely free media and judiciary . Thegovernment believes in going soft on corruption. It provides “an verabundant layers of appeal after appeal and escape routes.” Credit goes to the media for highlighting corruption in high places and the constitutional courts giving such cases to the CBI.