By giving the marching orders to Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami for trying to stall the arrest of a well-connected politician by speaking directly to Central Bureau of Investigation officers, the Narendra Modi government has sent out a strong signal to the bureaucracy that it will not tolerate such transgressions. And coming at a time when political functionaries and their associates are increasingly embroiled in criminal cases, it contains a message to high-profile suspects too, that the government will not brook any attempt to use power or influence to protect themselves from legal action. It is also an unmistakable sign that the present regime wants to insulate itself from any criticism that the CBI is under its thumb. The United Progressive Alliance regime failed miserably on that score, repeatedly rendering itself vulnerable to the criticism that it slowed down or stalled investigation into several scams. In a refreshing change of approach from a time when only judicial prodding or media exposure led to some action, Home Minister Rajnath Singh moved quickly to ascertain the facts from both the CBI Director and Mr. Goswami himself before apprising the Prime Minister of the development. While the details of what Mr. Goswami had by way of explanation are not available, it is quite obvious that his continuance became untenable as soon as he admitted to making the controversial telephone call even as former Union Minister Matang Sinh was being questioned by CBI investigators. Any hesitation on the part of the government at this point would have been indefensible.
The image of the CBI had taken a beating only recently when its Director, Ranjit Sinha, was ordered by the Supreme Court to keep away from the probe into 2G spectrum allocation cases after it was found that he had entertained some of the accused at his residence. In the light of this, the latest action aimed at insulating the agency from interference will come as a shot in the arm for its officers. However, it is a matter of concern that Matang Sinh, a former Union Minister arrested recently in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, and whose arrest was sought to be stalled, could have such access to the higher echelons of the government. Reports suggest that long after his party, the Congress, lost power, and his own political fortunes waned, Mr. Sinh continues to wield influence in the national capital. Were his connections limited to efforts to save his own skin, or did he influence appointments or postings? The government should probe all the leads it may have that indicate the extent of his clout. It would do well not to treat the matter as closed but order a full investigation into a possible deeper nexus between bureaucrats and tainted politicians.
