The CBI and 2 G Scam (by Sh. Joginder Singh) Book Review Published in the magazine Power Politics Edited by Hari jai Singh, Former editor in Chief The Tribune**

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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

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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.

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