Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 3 exhorted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials to take action against the corrupt, however powerful, without any hesitation, stating that today there was no dearth of political will in fighting the menace.
Stating that while India’s economic power was growing, the attempts to create obstacles were also increasing, he cautioned that going ahead the attacks on the country’s social fabric, its unity and brotherhood, its economic interests and institutions would also increase.
“Corruption money will be spent on this,” he said.
After inaugurating the CBI’s diamond jubilee celebrations, the Prime Minister said: “These people will keep distracting you, but you have to focus on your work. No corrupt person should be spared. There should be no laxity in our efforts. This is the wish of the country, this is the wish of the countrymen. The country, law and constitution are with you.”
Mr. Modi told the agency that best international practices should be adopted and the officials well equipped to speed up the process of investigation and punishment of the culprits. He stressed the need to eliminate silos between different agencies, study the multinational nature of crime and corruption, and expand the use of forensic science and technological tools in investigations.
The Prime Minister suggested that the agency could rope in tech-enabled entrepreneurs, youngsters and tech-savvy young officers to probe cybercrimes. He complimented the CBI for identifying 75 processes and systems within the bureau that could be abolished, and asked them to work on it in a time-bound manner.
Mr. Modi said through its work and skills, the CBI had instilled trust among the citizens.
“It is like a brand for truth and justice,” he said, adding that it is an extraordinary feat. He said the agency’s proposed “Chintan Shivir” should help learn from the past and plan for the future. He said a developed India was not possible without professional and efficient institutions.
The Prime Minister said the CBI’s chief responsibility was to rid the country of corruption, an offence that snatched the rights of the poor and bred many other crimes. He said corruption was the biggest obstacle in the path of justice and democracy, and its first casualty were the dreams of the youth as it promoted nepotism and a dynastic system, eroding the nation’s strength.
The Prime Minister said India had got a legacy of corruption at the time of Independence and instead of removing it, some people kept nourishing it. He said just a decade ago, there were scams creating a situation that led to policy paralysis, which had brought the country’s development to a standstill.
After 2014, he said, the Centre started taking action against black money and “benami” assets in a mission mode. The reasons behind corruption were targeted. Procurement was one such area, for which the Government eMarketplace portal was launched to bring in transparency. He said today’s internet banking and UPI stood in stark contrast to the earlier “phone banking” malaise.
He said the Centre introduced the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, which had so far enabled the confiscation of assets worth ₹20,000 crore belonging to the offenders who fled the country.
Owing to the Direct Benefit Transfers, over 8 crore fake beneficiaries were taken off the list and about ₹2.25 lakh crore was saved. Interviews were abolished in the Group C and Group D services. Urea-related scams were tackled by “neem-coating” of urea.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with awardees at the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of CBI in New Delhi on April 3, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI
The Prime Minister said there was now growing transparency in defence deals. Now, emphasis was on indigenous production of defence products.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal were present on the occasion.
At the event, Mr. Modi conferred medals to the recipients of the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Gold Medal for Best Investigating Officers of the CBI. He inaugurated its newly constructed office complexes in Shillong, Pune and Nagpur; released a postage stamp and commemorative Rs.60 coin; and launched the Twitter handle of the CBI.
He also released the CBI’s updated Administration Manual, an Almanac on Bank Frauds -- case studies and learning; “In pursuit of justice -- Supreme Court Judgements in CBI Cases”; and a handbook on the International Police cooperation for the exchange of foreign located intelligence and evidence.
